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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. kid — to tease
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. fine — high quality
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. fine — all right
  9. kid — child
  10. object — an aim
  11. snap — to click
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. board — a committee
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. object — a thing
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. board — to get on
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. object — to protest
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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