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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 120 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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. firm — steady
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bore — to tire
  5. game — a match
  6. land — a country
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. land — ground
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. land — to come down
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. game — wild animals
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. firm — decided
  20. firm — a company
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. bore — to drill
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. mouse — the animal

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