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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 120 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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. club — for golf
  3. drill — army training
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. ball — a great time
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. wake — a trail
  9. club — a group
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ball — a dance
  12. chest — a box
  13. drill — the tool
  14. chest — of your body
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. chair — a leader
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. club — for dancing
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. chest — of your body
  24. drill — a practice

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