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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. firm — decided
  5. can — to be able to
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. can — a tin
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the sport
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. dip — to sink
  12. hand — help
  13. root — of a word
  14. firm — a company
  15. hand — in cards
  16. rash — a series
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. root — the cause
  19. firm — steady
  20. root — of a plant
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. rash — hasty
  24. can — a tin

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