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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 · mug · mouse · cabinet · perch · spell · net · deal

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. spell — a short time
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. net — after costs
  8. spell — letters
  9. spell — magic
  10. perch — the fish
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. mug — a face
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. deal — to handle
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. mug — to rob
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. net — in sport
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. net — for catching

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