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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. field — a subject
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. lean — to bend
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. rest — a break
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. field — farmland
  12. rest — what's left
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. rest — what's left
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. can — to be able to
  22. field — for sport
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. lean — thin

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