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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.

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: stick · mug · prune · hand · roll · ball · can · nail

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. hand — help
  3. mug — to rob
  4. can — to be able to
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. roll — a cake
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. roll — a list
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. can — a tin
  12. mug — a cup
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. can — a tin
  16. prune — to trim
  17. hand — in cards
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. prune — to trim
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mug — a face
  24. ball — a great time

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