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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 116 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: field · mug · rock · bear · bowl · snap · saw · nail

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. mug — a face
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. rock — music
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. field — farmland
  8. mug — a cup
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. field — a subject
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bear — the animal
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. rock — a stone
  21. field — for sport
  22. snap — to click
  23. mug — to rob
  24. bowl — a football final

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