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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 116 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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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: club · row · rule · coach · can · nail · ground · mouse

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. row — to paddle
  3. can — a tin
  4. club — for golf
  5. club — for dancing
  6. ground — a position
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. can — a tin
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. rule — government
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. rule — a law
  15. can — to be able to
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. club — a group
  20. row — a line
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. ground — the earth
  24. ground — crushed

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