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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. mug — a face
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mug — to rob
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. tube — the underground
  8. saw — the tool
  9. mug — a cup
  10. tube — a container
  11. scale — in music
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. object — to protest
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. saw — the tool
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. object — a thing
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. scale — size or range
  24. object — an aim

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