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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.

Make a worksheet

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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. wind — moving air
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. scale — in music
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. wind — moving air
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ball — a dance
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — to trim
  24. scale — size or range

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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