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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. lean — thin
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. tear — from crying
  9. lean — to bend
  10. suit — to fit
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. mine — for digging
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. swing — in golf
  18. swing — music
  19. tear — from crying
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. tear — to rip
  22. swing — to play on
  23. suit — clothes
  24. hide — to keep secret

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