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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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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: rule · squash · dip · club · object · nail · bore · can

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. can — to be able to
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. rule — government
  5. squash — the sport
  6. dip — to sink
  7. club — a group
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. object — to protest
  11. bore — to tire
  12. can — a tin
  13. club — for dancing
  14. object — a thing
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. bore — to drill
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. club — for golf
  20. rule — a law
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. can — a tin
  23. squash — to crush
  24. dip — to dunk

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