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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bore — to tire
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. spell — letters
  5. firm — a company
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rush — hurry
  9. lie — to recline
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. staff — employees
  12. firm — steady
  13. can — to be able to
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. can — a tin
  18. staff — a stick
  19. spell — a short time
  20. bore — to drill
  21. spell — magic
  22. can — a tin
  23. firm — decided
  24. staff — employees

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