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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. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. board — to get on
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. board — a committee
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. ground — a position
  10. bore — to drill
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pop — to visit
  13. ground — crushed
  14. pop — music
  15. ground — the earth
  16. dip — to sink
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. pop — soda
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bore — to tire
  23. patient — a sick person
  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