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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bank — for money
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. net — for catching
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. plane — a tool
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. tear — to rip
  9. bank — of a river
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. bank — for money
  12. ball — a dance
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. net — after costs
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. tear — from crying
  21. tear — from crying
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. net — in sport
  24. hide — to keep secret

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