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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.

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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. dip — to sink
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rock — a stone
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. track — a song
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bat — the animal
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. track — a path
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. rock — music
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. fine — all right
  21. track — to keep track
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bat — for baseball

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