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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. object — a thing
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. mug — a cup
  5. object — an aim
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. mug — to rob
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. shower — to wash
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. shower — rain
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. snap — to click
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. stem — to come from
  22. object — to protest
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. mug — a face

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