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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.

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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: pass · nail · perch · deal · squash · rock · ground · straw

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. rock — music
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. rock — a stone
  7. squash — to crush
  8. squash — the sport
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. pass — a permit
  14. ground — crushed
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. ground — the earth
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. deal — to handle
  20. perch — the fish
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. ground — a position

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