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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 120 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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. cell — a phone
  5. bear — the animal
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. wake — a trail
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. bear — the animal
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. board — to get on
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. board — a committee
  22. rush — hurry
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. cell — in biology

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