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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  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. chip — in a computer
  3. kick — in football
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. chip — to eat
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. file — a tool
  9. chip — for betting
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. file — a document
  16. roll — a list
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. file — a line of people
  19. roll — a cake
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pass — a permit
  23. mouse — for a computer
  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