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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 120 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 · mug · bass · spell · dip · rest · tube · rush

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mug — a cup
  5. spell — magic
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. tube — a container
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. bass — the fish
  10. tube — the underground
  11. dip — to sink
  12. spell — a short time
  13. mug — a face
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. mug — to rob
  18. bass — low music
  19. rush — hurry
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. rest — what's left
  22. spell — letters
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bass — the instrument

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