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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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Word bank
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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. pitch — completely
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. dip — to sink
  14. tube — a container
  15. tube — the underground
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. game — a match
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. game — wild animals
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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