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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. chip — to eat
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. shower — rain
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. shower — to wash
  10. foot — a measure
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. wind — moving air
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. chip — for betting
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. wind — moving air
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. fan — to cool the air

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