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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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. swing — to play on
  3. last — to go on
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. last — final
  9. stand — to bear
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. mate — to breed
  12. pass — a permit
  13. squash — to crush
  14. squash — the sport
  15. mate — a partner
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — music
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. last — finally
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. mate — a friend

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