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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. kid — to tease
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. firm — steady
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. dip — to sink
  8. firm — decided
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. firm — a company
  11. kid — child
  12. band — a music group
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. band — a ring
  17. sharp — clever
  18. nail — for a hammer

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