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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. tear — from crying
  3. rush — hurry
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. mark — a grade
  6. net — in sport
  7. cue — for pool
  8. tear — to rip
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. cue — a hint
  11. mark — a trace
  12. current — happening now
  13. cue — a signal
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. net — for catching
  19. tear — from crying
  20. current — electric
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. current — of water
  23. net — after costs
  24. ruler — a monarch

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