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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 120 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 ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. key — in music
  6. can — to be able to
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. can — a tin
  10. present — there
  11. key — for a lock
  12. foot — a measure
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. present — a gift
  15. ball — a great time
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. tear — from crying
  19. tear — to rip
  20. can — a tin
  21. present — the time now
  22. key — the most important part
  23. ball — a dance
  24. tear — from crying

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