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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. rush — hurry
  3. firm — steady
  4. vault — a safe
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bore — to tire
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. spring — a coil
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. bore — to drill
  15. firm — decided
  16. spring — of water
  17. mug — to rob
  18. spring — the season
  19. mug — a cup
  20. lean — thin
  21. firm — a company
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. mug — a face
  24. nail — for a hammer

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