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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: file · squash · leaves · last · nail · ruler · mine · coach

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. last — finally
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. squash — the sport
  5. squash — to crush
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. file — a line of people
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. last — to go on
  18. file — a tool
  19. file — a document
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. last — final
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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