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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.

Make a worksheet

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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. game — a match
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. chest — a box
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. chest — of your body
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. chest — of your body
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. tube — the underground
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. tube — a container
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bark — to shout
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. game — wild animals

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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