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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. staff — a stick
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. fall — to drop
  6. staff — employees
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. lie — to recline
  9. stock — goods
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. fall — the season
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. staff — employees
  20. stock — shares
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. fall — to drop
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. wave — with your hand

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