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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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. suit — clothes
  4. clip — a video
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — to fit
  7. clip — to cut
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. pound — a weight
  20. pass — a permit
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. clip — for paper
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. rush — hurry

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