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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. ball — a dance
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. cue — for pool
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. cue — a signal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. last — finally
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bear — the animal
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. last — to go on
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. cue — a hint
  21. dip — to sink
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. last — final

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