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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. rush — hurry
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. saw — the tool
  5. foot — a measure
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. pit — a hole
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. pit — in a race
  10. rash — a series
  11. charge — a price
  12. charge — electricity
  13. rash — hasty
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. saw — the tool
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. charge — in control
  24. foot — part of the body

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