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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: net · pop · wake · arm · ball · hide · nail · dip

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. pop — to visit
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. net — in sport
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. net — after costs
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. pop — soda
  14. wake — a trail
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. pop — music
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. net — for catching
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a dance
  24. arm — part of the body

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