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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. row — to paddle
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. deal — to handle
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. wind — moving air
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. bulb — for light
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. wind — moving air
  24. row — a quarrel

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