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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pit — in a race
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. field — a subject
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. field — for sport
  13. field — farmland
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. object — a thing
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. pit — a hole
  18. object — to protest
  19. object — an aim
  20. wax — to grow
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. ruler — for measuring

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