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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. club — for dancing
  5. club — for golf
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bear — the animal
  8. ground — crushed
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. club — a group
  11. chip — to eat
  12. lean — to bend
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. lean — thin
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. ground — a position
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. ground — the earth
  24. chip — for betting

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