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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. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. swing — to play on
  5. wind — moving air
  6. pass — a permit
  7. swing — music
  8. swing — in golf
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. key — for a lock
  11. wind — moving air
  12. tear — from crying
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. key — the most important part
  18. key — in music
  19. tear — from crying
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. tear — to rip
  22. foot — a measure
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. cabinet — ministers

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