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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. lie — to recline
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. pop — music
  12. pop — to visit
  13. foot — a measure
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. pop — soda
  19. pit — in a race
  20. rash — a series
  21. rash — hasty
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pit — a hole

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