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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: mate · hide · ruler · sharp · nail · squash · bass · club

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bass — low music
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. mate — a friend
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. mate — a partner
  15. club — a group
  16. squash — the sport
  17. sharp — clever
  18. club — for golf
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. squash — to crush
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. club — for dancing
  24. bass — the fish

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