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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: straw · nail · ground · firm · net · track · bowl · mouse

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. net — for catching
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. ground — a position
  6. net — in sport
  7. net — after costs
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. track — a path
  14. firm — decided
  15. ground — crushed
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. firm — steady
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. firm — a company
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. ground — the earth
  23. track — to keep track
  24. track — a song

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