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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. land — a country
  5. rock — music
  6. cue — a hint
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. spell — magic
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. spell — letters
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. rock — a stone
  17. spell — a short time
  18. cue — for pool
  19. land — to come down
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. land — ground
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. cue — a signal

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