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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  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. bear — the animal
  3. rock — a stone
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. kick — in football
  6. last — final
  7. last — to go on
  8. rock — music
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. roll — a cake
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. rest — what's left
  14. rest — a break
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pass — a permit
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. rest — what's left
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. last — finally
  23. roll — a list
  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