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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mark — a grade
  5. pop — music
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. mark — a trace
  8. field — farmland
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. field — a subject
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. field — for sport
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bank — for money
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bank — for money
  22. pop — soda
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. pop — to visit

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