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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 drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. can — a tin
  4. mark — a grade
  5. swing — to play on
  6. swing — music
  7. fall — to drop
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. mark — a trace
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. rule — a law
  13. fall — to drop
  14. rule — government
  15. pound — a weight
  16. can — to be able to
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. can — a tin
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. fall — the season
  23. swing — in golf
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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