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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. lean — thin
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. ground — crushed
  7. bound — tied together
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. chip — to eat
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. ground — the earth
  15. rock — music
  16. ground — a position
  17. bound — obliged
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. bound — certain
  21. chip — for betting
  22. lean — to bend
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. mouse — the 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