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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 120 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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. lean — to bend
  3. cue — a signal
  4. fall — to drop
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mate — a partner
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. cue — a hint
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. bass — low music
  16. fall — the season
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. fall — to drop
  20. mate — a friend
  21. lean — thin
  22. bass — the fish
  23. cue — for pool
  24. mate — to breed

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