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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. wound — an injury
  4. mug — a face
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. rule — a law
  8. mug — a cup
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. track — a song
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. tube — the underground
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. wound — an injury
  19. mug — to rob
  20. lie — to recline
  21. track — a path
  22. rule — government
  23. tube — a container
  24. track — to keep track

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