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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: bowl · clip · can · date · arm · suit · pitcher · nail

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. clip — for paper
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. suit — in cards
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. suit — to fit
  11. clip — a video
  12. date — the fruit
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. can — a tin
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. clip — to cut
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. date — on the calendar

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