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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 have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. row — to paddle
  9. roll — a list
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. wax — to grow
  13. row — a line
  14. stock — goods
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. mine — for digging
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. roll — a cake
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. stock — shares
  24. mine — belonging to me

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