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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. file — a line of people
  4. bank — for money
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. charge — in control
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. firm — decided
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. charge — electricity
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — steady
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bank — for money
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bank — of a river
  20. file — a tool
  21. charge — a price
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. file — a document
  24. nail — on a finger

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