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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: nail · racket · stand · arm · toast · pop · squash · fan

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. squash — the sport
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. pop — to visit
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. pop — music
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. squash — to crush
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. toast — bread
  19. pop — soda
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — to bear

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