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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: last · rock · stick · nail · shower · net · bear · mark

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rock — a stone
  6. mark — a grade
  7. shower — to wash
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. shower — rain
  11. bear — the animal
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. net — for catching
  14. net — in sport
  15. mark — a trace
  16. net — after costs
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. bear — the animal
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. last — finally
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. rock — music
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. last — to go on

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