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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. content — the amount
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. drill — the tool
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. face — part of the head
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. content — happy
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. drill — army training
  13. land — ground
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. land — to come down
  16. land — a country
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. face — to confront
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bulb — for light
  23. drill — a practice
  24. face — to point toward

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