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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. chip — for betting
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. prune — to trim
  6. mug — a cup
  7. bound — obliged
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. bore — to drill
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. prune — to trim
  13. mug — a face
  14. date — the fruit
  15. chip — to eat
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bore — to tire
  21. mug — to rob
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. bound — certain
  24. chip — in a computer

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