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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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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: pound · swing · nail · ball · rash · mate · cap · object

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. mate — to breed
  3. swing — to play on
  4. cap — a lid
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. mate — a partner
  8. swing — music
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. pound — a weight
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. swing — in golf
  14. rash — a series
  15. cap — of ice
  16. mate — a friend
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. object — to protest
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. rash — hasty
  21. ball — a great time
  22. cap — a hat
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — an aim

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