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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: pound · rush · nail · squash · face · tube · cabinet · deal

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. tube — the underground
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. squash — the sport
  8. pound — a weight
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. face — part of the head
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. tube — a container
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. squash — to crush
  18. face — to point toward
  19. deal — to handle
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — hurry
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. face — to confront

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