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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 · saw · wind · racket · wave · net · jam · date

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. net — for catching
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. wind — moving air
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. saw — the tool
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. net — in sport
  18. net — after costs
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. date — the fruit

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