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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. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — with a leg
  2. drill — the tool
  3. kick — in football
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. bound — certain
  6. shower — rain
  7. band — a ring
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. firm — a company
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bound — tied together
  14. bound — obliged
  15. drill — a practice
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. firm — decided
  18. drill — army training
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. firm — steady
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. band — a music group
  24. shower — to wash

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