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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. clip — for paper
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. board — to get on
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. hand — in cards
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. saw — the tool
  10. clip — a video
  11. pit — a hole
  12. pound — a weight
  13. hand — help
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. saw — the tool
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. pass — a permit
  20. board — a committee
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. clip — to cut
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. pound — to hit hard

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