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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. charge — a price
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. saw — the tool
  7. last — final
  8. last — to go on
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. charge — in control
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. spell — letters
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. spell — magic
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. saw — the tool
  18. bass — low music
  19. last — finally
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. charge — electricity
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bass — the fish
  24. spell — a short time

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