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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: squash · wave · pitcher · nail · ball · cabinet · fall · snap

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. ball — a great time
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. fall — the season
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. ball — a dance
  10. fall — to drop
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. snap — to click
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. squash — to crush
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. fall — to drop
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. squash — the sport
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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