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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.

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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 · ball · row · pitch · rush · bore · fan · can

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. rush — hurry
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. bore — to drill
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. pitch — completely
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. ball — a dance
  12. can — a tin
  13. bore — to tire
  14. can — to be able to
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. row — a line
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. can — a tin
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a great time
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. nail — on a finger

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