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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. file — a line of people
  4. fork — in a road
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. file — a document
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. row — to paddle
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. drill — army training
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. drill — a practice
  15. row — a line
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. object — to protest
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. file — a tool
  20. object — a thing
  21. object — an aim
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. drill — the tool

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