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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. object — an aim
  3. chest — a box
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. object — to protest
  13. face — to confront
  14. face — to point toward
  15. chest — of your body
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. chest — of your body
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. snap — to click
  23. object — a thing
  24. face — part of the head

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