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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. ground — the earth
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mug — a cup
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. cue — a hint
  18. ground — a position
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a signal
  21. ground — crushed
  22. mug — a face
  23. kick — in football
  24. leaves — lets stay

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