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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 124 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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. swing — to play on
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. field — a subject
  7. swing — in golf
  8. suit — to fit
  9. field — farmland
  10. sharp — clever
  11. vault — a safe
  12. field — for sport
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. swing — music
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. suit — in cards
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. suit — clothes

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