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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. prune — to trim
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. face — to confront
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. spell — a short time
  7. spell — magic
  8. face — to point toward
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. prune — to trim
  11. face — part of the head
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. rock — a stone
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. rock — music
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. lean — thin
  22. spell — letters
  23. lean — to bend
  24. cabinet — ministers

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