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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. spring — of water
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — the time now
  8. land — to come down
  9. land — a country
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. land — ground
  14. spring — a coil
  15. bear — the animal
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. present — there
  19. snap — to click
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. spring — the season
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. deal — to handle
  24. bear — the animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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