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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 120 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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  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. foot — the bottom
  3. firm — steady
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. fine — all right
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. swing — in golf
  9. fine — high quality
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. pound — a weight
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. cold — an illness
  15. swing — music
  16. firm — a company
  17. foot — a measure
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. cold — not warm
  21. firm — decided
  22. swing — to play on
  23. bulb — for light
  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