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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. mark — a trace
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — a break
  6. firm — decided
  7. fall — to drop
  8. fall — to drop
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a grade
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. drill — the tool
  15. row — a line
  16. firm — a company
  17. fall — the season
  18. row — to paddle
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. firm — steady
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. drill — army training
  23. drill — a practice
  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