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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. season — in sport
  4. object — to protest
  5. lean — to bend
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. object — a thing
  10. tube — the underground
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. season — of the year
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. tube — a container
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. lean — thin
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. object — an aim
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. lie — to recline

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