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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. toast — bread
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bark — to shout
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. fall — the season
  11. ball — a dance
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. can — a tin
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. can — a tin
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. fall — to drop
  18. ball — a great time
  19. fall — to drop
  20. can — to be able to
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. saw — the tool
  24. arm — part of the body

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