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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. net — in sport
  3. suit — in cards
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. charge — electricity
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. net — for catching
  13. charge — in control
  14. net — after costs
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. drill — a practice
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. suit — to fit
  20. pound — a weight
  21. mark — a trace
  22. charge — a price
  23. drill — the tool
  24. drill — army training

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