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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 116 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 took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. drill — army training
  9. net — in sport
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. stand — to bear
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. net — after costs
  17. dip — to sink
  18. rule — a law
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. drill — the tool
  23. drill — a practice
  24. rule — government

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