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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. staff — employees
  3. kid — child
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. staff — a stick
  6. hand — in cards
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. hand — help
  11. kid — to tease
  12. drill — a practice
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. drill — army training
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. drill — the tool
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. staff — employees

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