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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mark — a grade
  3. ground — crushed
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. mine — for digging
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. key — the most important part
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. key — in music
  22. key — for a lock
  23. ground — the earth
  24. ground — a position

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