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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 was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. band — a ring
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. plane — a tool
  8. saw — the tool
  9. mine — for digging
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. stand — to bear
  12. band — a music group
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. saw — the tool
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. mine — belonging to me

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