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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. spell — a short time
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. court — of law
  7. saw — the tool
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. court — of a king
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. drill — army training
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. drill — the tool
  19. rule — government
  20. saw — the tool
  21. court — for sport
  22. spell — magic
  23. rule — a law
  24. spell — letters

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