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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. press — newspapers
  7. chip — to eat
  8. press — a publisher
  9. chip — for betting
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. bear — the animal
  12. lean — to bend
  13. press — to push
  14. bear — the animal
  15. lean — thin
  16. drill — army training
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. drill — a practice
  20. drill — the tool
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. kid — child
  23. foot — a measure
  24. kid — to tease

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