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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. tear — to rip
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bat — the animal
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. tear — from crying
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. lean — thin
  11. track — to keep track
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. rock — a stone
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. rock — music
  20. tear — from crying
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. track — a song
  23. track — a path
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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