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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. can — a tin
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. snap — to click
  10. rest — a break
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. can — to be able to
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. can — a tin
  24. rest — what's left

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