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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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 lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. chest — a box
  3. present — the time now
  4. dip — to sink
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. chest — of your body
  8. spell — magic
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. ball — a great time
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. present — there
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. chest — of your body
  19. spell — letters
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. present — a gift
  22. mine — for digging
  23. spell — a short time
  24. nail — for a hammer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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