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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 116 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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cold — not warm
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. fine — all right
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. plane — a tool
  13. ball — a great time
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. dip — to sink
  18. fine — high quality
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — the tool
  22. cold — an illness
  23. ball — a dance
  24. fine — a penalty

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