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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. cue — a hint
  4. object — an aim
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. object — a thing
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. cue — for pool
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. cue — a signal
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. mark — a trace
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. mark — a grade
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. calf — a young animal

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