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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. spell — a short time
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rest — what's left
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. land — ground
  7. rest — a break
  8. bound — certain
  9. cap — of ice
  10. pass — a permit
  11. rest — what's left
  12. mug — a cup
  13. bound — tied together
  14. spell — letters
  15. land — to come down
  16. mug — to rob
  17. cap — a lid
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. mug — a face
  20. cap — a hat
  21. bound — obliged
  22. spell — magic
  23. land — a country
  24. pass — to succeed

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