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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 120 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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bear — the animal
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. cue — a hint
  6. drill — a practice
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. staff — employees
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. staff — a stick
  12. staff — employees
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. pound — a weight
  15. cue — a signal
  16. drill — army training
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bear — the animal
  20. cue — for pool
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. drill — the tool
  24. nail — for a hammer

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