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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. wax — to grow
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. staff — a stick
  8. drill — army training
  9. drill — a practice
  10. drill — the tool
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. object — to protest
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. object — a thing
  15. track — a path
  16. object — an aim
  17. track — a song
  18. chip — to eat
  19. fall — to drop
  20. staff — employees
  21. fall — the season
  22. track — to keep track
  23. fall — to drop
  24. staff — employees

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