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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pop — music
  3. mate — a partner
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. content — happy
  7. pop — soda
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. content — the amount
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. staff — employees
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. pass — a permit
  17. mate — a friend
  18. staff — employees
  19. foot — a measure
  20. mate — to breed
  21. pop — to visit
  22. staff — a stick
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. kick — in football

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