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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. last — finally
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. prune — to trim
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. suit — to fit
  17. bore — to tire
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. last — final
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. suit — clothes
  22. snap — to click
  23. suit — in cards
  24. last — to go on

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