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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 · club · bass · rule · pitcher · rush · can · nail

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. rule — government
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. bass — low music
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. club — for dancing
  10. rule — a law
  11. club — a group
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. club — for golf
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. bass — the fish
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. rush — hurry
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. pound — a weight
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. can — to be able to
  24. bass — the instrument

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