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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 120 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 like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. squash — the sport
  3. face — to confront
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. face — part of the head
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. deal — to handle
  9. face — to point toward
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. current — happening now
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. current — of water
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. chair — a leader
  21. current — electric
  22. squash — to crush
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  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