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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · court · pit · squash · bank · arm · rush · wound

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. rush — hurry
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. squash — to crush
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. court — of a king
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. squash — the sport
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. wound — an injury
  15. court — for sport
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. pit — in a race
  18. bank — for money
  19. court — of law
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bank — for money
  22. pit — a hole
  23. bank — of a river
  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