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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. suit — clothes
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. wax — to grow
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. pound — a weight
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bulb — for light
  16. suit — in cards
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. mine — for digging
  19. chair — a leader
  20. bulb — for light
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. chair — to sit on

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