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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — decided
  4. fine — high quality
  5. field — for sport
  6. dip — to sink
  7. bore — to tire
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. can — a tin
  10. field — a subject
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. can — a tin
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. fine — all right
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. band — a music group
  17. firm — a company
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. field — farmland
  20. can — to be able to
  21. bore — to drill
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. band — a ring
  24. dip — a sauce

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