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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 116 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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  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. last — to go on
  2. scale — size or range
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. kid — child
  12. prune — to trim
  13. mug — to rob
  14. last — final
  15. scale — in music
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. mug — a cup
  18. prune — to trim
  19. mug — a face
  20. last — finally
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. bowl — a dish
  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