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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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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: chair · saw · ruler · clip · fan · stand · bay · nail

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. saw — the tool
  4. clip — to cut
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. chair — a leader
  16. stand — to bear
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. clip — a video
  21. clip — for paper
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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