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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. staff — employees
  3. suit — to fit
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. spell — magic
  8. bass — low music
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. suit — clothes
  11. ground — the earth
  12. ground — crushed
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. ground — a position
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — a stick
  19. suit — in cards
  20. spell — letters
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bass — the fish
  23. spell — a short time
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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