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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 is an ace ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. shower — rain
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. net — for catching
  11. net — in sport
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. bore — to tire
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. bore — to drill
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. rash — hasty
  22. rash — a series
  23. shower — to wash
  24. net — after costs

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