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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. foot — a measure
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. board — a committee
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. bound — certain
  15. board — to get on
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bound — tied together
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. rush — hurry
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. bound — obliged

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