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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. file — a document
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. lean — thin
  6. fall — the season
  7. fall — to drop
  8. stock — goods
  9. chip — for betting
  10. chip — to eat
  11. file — a tool
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. wax — to grow
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. file — a line of people
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. lean — to bend
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. fall — to drop
  24. stock — shares

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