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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. kick — in football
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. march — the month
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — a permit
  10. march — music
  11. shower — to wash
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. march — the month
  16. saw — the tool
  17. shower — rain
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. saw — the tool
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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