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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 116 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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. court — of law
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. face — to point toward
  6. pit — a hole
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. court — of a king
  9. object — an aim
  10. pit — in a race
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. object — a thing
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. face — to confront
  19. court — for sport
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wax — to grow
  22. face — part of the head
  23. object — to protest
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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