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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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bass — the fish
  3. track — a song
  4. track — a path
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — a hole
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. dip — to sink
  16. track — to keep track
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. pit — in a race
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. bass — low music
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. bass — the instrument

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