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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. drill — the tool
  3. pop — soda
  4. drill — army training
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — a break
  7. rest — what's left
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. pop — to visit
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. pop — music
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. drill — a practice
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. deal — to handle
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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