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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. cap — a lid
  4. cap — a hat
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. sharp — clever
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. cap — of ice
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. object — to protest
  11. wind — moving air
  12. track — a path
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. object — a thing
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. deal — to handle
  17. object — an aim
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. track — to keep track
  21. track — a song
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. wind — moving air

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