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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
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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: wake · bowl · deal · mouse · nail · squash · rush · key

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. rush — hurry
  4. key — in music
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. key — for a lock
  12. squash — the sport
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. key — the most important part
  19. wake — a trail
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. squash — to crush
  23. deal — to handle
  24. nail — on a finger

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