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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. club — a group
  3. pit — in a race
  4. hand — help
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. fall — to drop
  7. firm — decided
  8. club — for golf
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. pit — a hole
  11. court — of a king
  12. firm — steady
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. court — for sport
  15. fall — to drop
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. court — of law
  19. club — for dancing
  20. firm — a company
  21. hand — in cards
  22. rush — hurry
  23. fall — the season
  24. nail — for a hammer

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