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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: perch · firm · game · nail · rule · racket

  1. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. game — wild animals
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. firm — steady
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. firm — a company
  11. firm — decided
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. rule — government
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. game — a match
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. rule — a law

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