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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. fine — high quality
  9. bound — tied together
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bound — certain
  12. saw — the tool
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. foot — a measure
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fine — all right
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bound — obliged
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  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