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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. firm — steady
  6. ground — crushed
  7. file — a line of people
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. rest — a break
  10. file — a tool
  11. firm — decided
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bore — to tire
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. firm — a company
  16. file — a document
  17. ground — a position
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bore — to drill
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rest — what's left
  24. ground — the earth

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