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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. roll — a list
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. content — the amount
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. firm — a company
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. firm — decided
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. scale — in music
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. content — happy
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. scale — size or range
  19. roll — a cake
  20. branch — a division
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. firm — steady

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