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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  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. nail — for a hammer
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. suit — in cards
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. track — to keep track
  8. track — a path
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. shower — rain
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. suit — clothes
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. suit — to fit
  18. track — a song
  19. pound — a weight
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. shower — to wash
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  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