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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 116 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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. wake — a trail
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. snap — to click
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. wound — an injury
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. wound — an injury
  24. bay — a horse colour

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