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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. patient — calm and waiting
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. deal — to handle
  5. land — ground
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. drill — the tool
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. drill — a practice
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. land — a country
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. drill — army training
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. land — to come down
  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