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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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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: fan · bowl · club · spring · ground · nail · ruler · net

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. net — in sport
  3. spring — a coil
  4. spring — of water
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. spring — the season
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. net — for catching
  12. club — for golf
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. ground — the earth
  16. ground — crushed
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. ground — a position
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. club — a group
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. club — for dancing
  23. net — after costs
  24. bowl — to roll

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