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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: mine · chair · can · pop · ruler · present · pit · nail

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. pit — a hole
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. pop — music
  11. mine — for digging
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. chair — a leader
  14. pit — in a race
  15. present — there
  16. pop — to visit
  17. present — the time now
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. present — a gift
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. can — to be able to
  24. pop — soda

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