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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 is an ace ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. lean — to bend
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. net — for catching
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — high quality
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. lean — thin
  20. net — after costs
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. pass — a permit
  24. net — in sport

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