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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bank — of a river
  3. kick — in football
  4. bank — for money
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. bank — for money
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. fine — all right
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. lie — to recline
  18. fine — high quality
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fork — in a road
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fine — a penalty

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