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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. firm — decided
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. wound — an injury
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. wound — an injury
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. land — to come down
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. firm — a company
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. firm — steady
  17. foot — a measure
  18. land — a country
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. land — ground
  21. pound — a weight
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. mine — for digging

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