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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. spring — of water
  5. drill — army training
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. drill — a practice
  13. ground — the earth
  14. ground — a position
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. ground — crushed
  18. spring — the season
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. drill — the tool
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pass — a permit
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. nail — on a finger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com