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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. track — a path
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. chip — for betting
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. track — to keep track
  9. track — a song
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — boats
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. chip — to eat
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. snap — to click
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. craft — a skill
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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