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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. rest — what's left
  7. shower — rain
  8. shower — to wash
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. squash — the sport
  14. root — of a plant
  15. rest — what's left
  16. wind — moving air
  17. root — the cause
  18. wind — moving air
  19. squash — to crush
  20. root — of a word
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. rest — a break

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