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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. object — an aim
  3. bear — the animal
  4. can — a tin
  5. staff — employees
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. object — a thing
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. object — to protest
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. can — to be able to
  15. can — a tin
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. staff — a stick
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. last — to go on
  20. staff — employees
  21. last — finally
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. last — final
  24. nail — on a finger

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