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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 120 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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. charge — electricity
  4. firm — decided
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. net — for catching
  9. charge — a price
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. firm — a company
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. spell — a short time
  19. net — after costs
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. firm — steady
  22. charge — in control
  23. net — in sport
  24. spell — magic

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