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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. spell — a short time
  7. branch — a division
  8. kick — in football
  9. mine — for digging
  10. lie — to recline
  11. stock — shares
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. spell — magic
  17. spell — letters
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. stock — goods
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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