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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: snap · club · face · stick · rock · object · rest · nail

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. object — a thing
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. object — to protest
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. club — a group
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. rock — music
  12. rest — what's left
  13. snap — to click
  14. face — part of the head
  15. rock — a stone
  16. club — for golf
  17. face — to confront
  18. club — for dancing
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. face — to point toward
  21. rest — what's left
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. object — an aim
  24. rest — a break

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