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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. spring — a coil
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. sharp — clever
  11. bore — to tire
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. board — to get on
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. board — a committee
  16. spring — the season
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. bore — to drill
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. spring — of water
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. snap — to click
  23. stand — to bear
  24. nail — for a hammer

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