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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 116 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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. club — for golf
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. bulb — for light
  6. club — for dancing
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. race — humankind
  9. race — the arms race
  10. lean — to bend
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. club — a group
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. content — happy
  17. race — a contest
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. content — the amount
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. bulb — for light
  24. lean — thin

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