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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 120 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mug — a face
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pit — a hole
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. last — final
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. last — to go on
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. last — finally
  16. sharp — clever
  17. rest — what's left
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. rest — a break
  22. mug — a cup
  23. pit — in a race
  24. sharp — with an edge

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