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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mark — a grade
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. mark — a trace
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. hand — help
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. cue — a hint
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a signal
  22. hand — in cards
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. nail — for a hammer

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