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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. drill — the tool
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. file — a line of people
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. dip — to sink
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. file — a tool
  15. toast — bread
  16. drill — army training
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. file — a document
  22. drill — a practice
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. mine — for digging

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