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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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. cap — a hat
  4. mine — for digging
  5. wound — an injury
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. cap — a lid
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. firm — a company
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. wound — an injury
  17. firm — steady
  18. cap — of ice
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. toast — bread
  22. firm — decided
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. sharp — clever

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