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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. fork — in a road
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. dip — to sink
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. rest — what's left
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rest — what's left
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. rash — a series
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rash — hasty
  15. track — a path
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. track — a song
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. rest — a break
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. track — to keep track

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