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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: nail · pitcher · bay · net · shower · object · ruler · chest

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. shower — to wash
  4. shower — rain
  5. net — after costs
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. chest — a box
  9. net — for catching
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. net — in sport
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. object — an aim
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. chest — of your body
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. object — to protest
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. chest — of your body
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. object — a thing

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