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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. firm — a company
  4. spell — magic
  5. wind — moving air
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. firm — steady
  8. wind — moving air
  9. charge — a price
  10. charge — in control
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. snap — to click
  13. charge — electricity
  14. ball — a great time
  15. spell — a short time
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. ball — a dance
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. firm — decided
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. spell — letters

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