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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: squash · rock · suit · nail · patient · bark · object · fall

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. rock — music
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. fall — the season
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. object — an aim
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. object — a thing
  9. fall — to drop
  10. suit — in cards
  11. suit — to fit
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. bark — to shout
  14. suit — clothes
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. fall — to drop
  17. object — to protest
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. rock — a stone
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. squash — the sport
  23. squash — to crush
  24. patient — a sick person

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