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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: fan · dip · bay · mug · land · firm · mark · nail

  1. When are we going to ________________?
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. firm — steady
  4. mug — to rob
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. firm — decided
  9. dip — to sink
  10. land — ground
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. land — a country
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. firm — a company
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. mark — a trace
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mug — a face
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mug — a cup
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. dip — to dunk

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