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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: toast · pitcher · nail · tear · deal · pass · rash · rush

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. tear — to rip
  3. tear — from crying
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — a permit
  10. toast — bread
  11. rash — a series
  12. tear — from crying
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rash — hasty
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. deal — to handle
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. pass — to succeed

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