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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. rush — hurry
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. bound — certain
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. ground — a position
  13. bound — tied together
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. ground — the earth
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hand — in cards
  19. ground — crushed
  20. bulb — for light
  21. hand — help
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. rush — to hurry

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