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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: snap · ruler · content · coach · nail · row · racket · can

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  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. coach — a trainer
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. content — happy
  9. content — the amount
  10. row — to paddle
  11. can — a tin
  12. row — a line
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. can — to be able to
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. can — a tin
  19. snap — to click
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. content — videos and posts
  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