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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. board — a committee
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. hand — help
  15. hand — in cards
  16. chip — to eat
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. chip — for betting
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — to get on
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  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