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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. dip — to sink
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. ground — crushed
  5. pit — in a race
  6. club — for golf
  7. row — a line
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. row — to paddle
  10. pit — a hole
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. ground — a position
  14. ground — the earth
  15. charge — a price
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. lean — thin
  18. club — a group
  19. charge — electricity
  20. lean — to bend
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. club — for dancing
  24. charge — in control

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