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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. wind — moving air
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. wind — moving air
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. lean — thin
  18. fork — in a road
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. stock — goods
  22. lean — to bend
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. stock — shares

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