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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: nail · ball · rest · pit · object · snap · wake · rash

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. rest — what's left
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. rest — what's left
  6. ball — a dance
  7. rash — a series
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — to protest
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. wake — a trail
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. pit — in a race
  14. object — an aim
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. rash — hasty
  17. pit — a hole
  18. ball — a great time
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. rest — a break
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. snap — to click

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