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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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Word bank
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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: racket · rest · ruler · present · nail · pop

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. rest — what's left
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. present — a gift
  10. present — the time now
  11. rest — a break
  12. present — there
  13. pop — soda
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. pop — to visit
  17. rest — what's left
  18. pop — music

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