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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. rest — a break
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. suit — to fit
  6. clip — a video
  7. rest — what's left
  8. spring — a coil
  9. clip — for paper
  10. rest — what's left
  11. clip — to cut
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. spring — the season
  14. bound — certain
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bound — tied together
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. suit — clothes
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. suit — in cards
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. spring — of water
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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