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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. ground — a position
  4. saw — the tool
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. saw — the tool
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. row — a line
  10. row — to paddle
  11. lie — to recline
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. ground — the earth
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. rush — hurry
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. ground — crushed
  24. rush — to hurry

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