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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. bass — the fish
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. bass — low music
  8. dip — to sink
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. spell — a short time
  11. suit — in cards
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. can — a tin
  15. suit — clothes
  16. can — to be able to
  17. fork — in a road
  18. suit — to fit
  19. spell — letters
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. can — a tin
  22. spell — magic
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. nail — for a hammer

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