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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bear — the animal
  4. tube — the underground
  5. rock — music
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. rock — a stone
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pass — a permit
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. tube — a container
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. chair — a leader
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. lash — an eyelash

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