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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.

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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 · mug · fork · cabinet · spring · ruler · pit · firm

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. mug — a cup
  6. firm — a company
  7. mug — a face
  8. fork — in a road
  9. firm — steady
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pit — a hole
  16. spring — of water
  17. spring — the season
  18. pit — in a race
  19. firm — decided
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. spring — a coil
  23. mug — to rob
  24. nail — for a hammer

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