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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 116 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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pop — to visit
  4. ball — a dance
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. snap — to click
  7. rule — a law
  8. ball — a great time
  9. lean — to bend
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. mark — a grade
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. mark — a trace
  16. pop — soda
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rule — government
  19. pop — music
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. lean — thin
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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