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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. kick — in football
  3. can — a tin
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. key — in music
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. toast — bread
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. key — the most important part
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. ball — a great time
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. can — a tin
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. ball — a dance
  20. can — to be able to
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. key — for a lock
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. wake — a trail

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