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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. fork — in a road
  3. mug — a face
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. mug — to rob
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. board — to get on
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. board — a committee
  17. chair — a leader
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. mug — a cup
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. wake — a trail

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