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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bound — tied together
  3. kick — in football
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. spring — a coil
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. fine — all right
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. spring — of water
  12. date — the fruit
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. spring — the season
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. bound — certain
  21. toast — bread
  22. fine — high quality
  23. bound — obliged
  24. kick — with a leg

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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