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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: ground · nail · deal · bowl · cue · jam · fine · pound

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. pound — a weight
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. cue — for pool
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. fine — all right
  12. cue — a signal
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. cue — a hint
  17. ground — crushed
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. ground — the earth
  20. deal — to handle
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. fine — high quality
  24. ground — a position

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