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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pop — music
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. content — happy
  5. content — the amount
  6. saw — the tool
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pop — soda
  9. present — the time now
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. saw — the tool
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pop — to visit
  18. present — there
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. present — a gift
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pit — a hole
  24. nail — for a hammer

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