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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bear — the animal
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. board — to get on
  5. pound — a weight
  6. dip — to sink
  7. cap — a lid
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. cap — a hat
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bear — the animal
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. cap — of ice
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. board — a committee
  24. dip — to dunk

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