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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. scale — in music
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. lie — to recline
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. lean — to bend
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. lean — thin
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. tube — the underground
  24. scale — size or range

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