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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: rock · swing · nail · tube · club · ruler · foot · field

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. field — a subject
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. swing — music
  5. club — for golf
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. swing — in golf
  9. field — for sport
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. field — farmland
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. club — for dancing
  16. foot — a measure
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. rock — a stone
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. club — a group
  21. rock — music
  22. tube — the underground
  23. tube — a container
  24. swing — to play 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