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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 116 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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. kid — to tease
  6. squash — to crush
  7. bank — for money
  8. bank — for money
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pound — a weight
  13. bank — of a river
  14. squash — the sport
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. wake — a trail
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. kid — child

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