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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. ground — the earth
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. suit — to fit
  6. suit — in cards
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. ground — crushed
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. suit — clothes
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — a stone
  18. kick — in football
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. mine — for digging
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. ground — a position
  23. sharp — clever
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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