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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. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. land — ground
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. chip — for betting
  6. land — to come down
  7. chip — to eat
  8. track — a path
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. track — to keep track
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. track — a song
  14. land — a country
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. mug — to rob
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. mug — a cup
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. mug — a face

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