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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 has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. club — for dancing
  5. present — the time now
  6. present — a gift
  7. club — a group
  8. land — to come down
  9. tear — from crying
  10. present — there
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. hand — in cards
  17. land — ground
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. tear — to rip
  20. club — for golf
  21. hand — help
  22. tear — from crying
  23. land — a country
  24. nail — for a hammer

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