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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.

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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. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. land — to come down
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — clothes
  6. cue — a hint
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. land — a country
  9. land — ground
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. cue — for pool
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. ball — a great time
  14. suit — to fit
  15. fork — in a road
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. cue — a signal
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. rush — hurry
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. ball — a dance
  24. nail — on a finger

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