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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pop — to visit
  4. land — to come down
  5. pop — music
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. cue — a signal
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. cue — for pool
  13. pop — soda
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. land — ground
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. cue — a hint
  19. land — a country
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. sharp — clever
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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