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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. kid — to tease
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. object — an aim
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. object — a thing
  7. cap — a lid
  8. kid — child
  9. key — for a lock
  10. object — to protest
  11. lie — to recline
  12. key — the most important part
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. cap — of ice
  16. fine — all right
  17. fine — high quality
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. key — in music
  23. cap — a hat
  24. fine — a penalty

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