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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. net — for catching
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. net — after costs
  5. suit — clothes
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. net — in sport
  10. band — a music group
  11. suit — in cards
  12. snap — to click
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. suit — to fit
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. band — a ring
  18. foot — a measure

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