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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 116 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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. present — the time now
  3. firm — a company
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. present — there
  8. present — a gift
  9. firm — steady
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. saw — the tool
  13. can — to be able to
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bear — the animal
  17. saw — the tool
  18. firm — decided

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