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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. object — a thing
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. lean — thin
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. ball — a great time
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. kid — child
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. object — an aim
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. ball — a dance
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. object — to protest
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. kid — to tease
  23. wound — an injury
  24. lean — to bend

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