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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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  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. nail — on a finger
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. spell — a short time
  6. file — a line of people
  7. spell — magic
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. fork — in a road
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. file — a document
  18. spell — letters
  19. drill — army training
  20. bank — of a river
  21. file — a tool
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. drill — a practice
  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