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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: stick · bulb · rest · squash · dip · nail · mug · land

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mug — a face
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. land — ground
  10. land — to come down
  11. dip — to sink
  12. rest — what's left
  13. land — a country
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. rest — what's left
  20. rest — a break
  21. mug — a cup
  22. squash — the sport
  23. mug — to rob
  24. squash — to crush

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