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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pit — in a race
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. wake — a trail
  5. staff — employees
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. staff — employees
  9. spell — a short time
  10. spell — magic
  11. track — a song
  12. track — a path
  13. kick — in football
  14. spell — letters
  15. pit — a hole
  16. track — to keep track
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. toast — bread
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. staff — a stick
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. kick — with a leg

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