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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: can · mug · march · nail · fine · mate · net · object

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. mug — a face
  3. can — a tin
  4. mate — a partner
  5. can — to be able to
  6. net — for catching
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. object — to protest
  11. can — a tin
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — all right
  14. object — a thing
  15. march — the month
  16. mate — a friend
  17. march — music
  18. mug — a cup
  19. net — in sport
  20. object — an aim
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. net — after costs
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mug — to rob

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