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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 120 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. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. pound — a weight
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. ground — crushed
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. ball — a dance
  10. cue — a signal
  11. cue — for pool
  12. ball — a great time
  13. cue — a hint
  14. suit — in cards
  15. ground — a position
  16. suit — clothes
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. mine — for digging
  24. suit — to fit

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