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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 120 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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. drill — the tool
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. rest — what's left
  6. fine — all right
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. drill — a practice
  9. rest — a break
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. rest — what's left
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. suit — clothes
  14. object — an aim
  15. suit — to fit
  16. object — a thing
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. fine — high quality
  19. object — to protest
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. drill — army training
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. kid — child
  24. suit — in cards

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