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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. net — for catching
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. net — after costs
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. net — in sport
  15. rush — hurry
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bat — the animal
  19. saw — the tool
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. bear — the animal
  24. bear — the animal

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