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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. drill — the tool
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. deal — to handle
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. cold — an illness
  16. drill — a practice
  17. drill — army training
  18. object — to protest
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. object — a thing
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. cold — not warm
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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