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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. band — a ring
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mark — a trace
  23. band — a rubber band
  24. band — a music group

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