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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. drill — a practice
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. pitch — completely
  7. date — the fruit
  8. club — a group
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. drill — army training
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. club — for dancing
  15. drill — the tool
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. club — for golf
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. lean — thin
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. lean — to bend
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. date — on the calendar

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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