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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. chest — of your body
  5. clip — for paper
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. drill — the tool
  9. clip — to cut
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bound — obliged
  12. can — to be able to
  13. drill — army training
  14. can — a tin
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. clip — a video
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bound — tied together
  19. chest — of your body
  20. chest — a box
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bound — certain
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. drill — a practice

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