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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. spell — letters
  3. suit — to fit
  4. court — for sport
  5. suit — clothes
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. spell — magic
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. board — a committee
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. roll — a cake
  12. roll — a list
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. board — to get on
  15. court — of a king
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. suit — in cards
  20. spell — a short time
  21. court — of law
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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