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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: row · nail · fine · mug · game · rush · fork · pitch

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. mug — a face
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mug — a cup
  11. game — a match
  12. game — wild animals
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. fine — high quality
  16. pitch — completely
  17. fork — in a road
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. rush — hurry
  20. fine — all right
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. row — to paddle
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. rush — a thrill

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