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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 120 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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mark — a trace
  4. last — finally
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. mark — a grade
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. chest — of your body
  10. land — ground
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. last — final
  13. kid — child
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. chest — a box
  17. land — a country
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. land — to come down
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. kid — to tease
  23. last — to go on
  24. chest — of your body

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