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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. charge — in control
  3. object — to protest
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. snap — to click
  9. charge — a price
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. firm — decided
  12. object — an aim
  13. hand — help
  14. firm — steady
  15. pound — a weight
  16. hand — in cards
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. firm — a company
  20. wake — a trail
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. charge — electricity
  24. object — a thing

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