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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. present — a gift
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. firm — decided
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. present — there
  16. kick — in football
  17. present — the time now
  18. firm — a company
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. firm — steady
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. chair — a leader
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. nail — on a finger

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