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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bulb — for light
  3. deal — to handle
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. cap — a hat
  6. bulb — for light
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. bound — certain
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. net — in sport
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. bound — tied together
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. cap — a lid
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. cap — of ice
  20. net — after costs
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. bound — obliged
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. net — for catching

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