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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: present · kick · jam · fan · nail · ball · firm · bound

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. firm — a company
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bound — certain
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. present — there
  11. kick — in football
  12. firm — decided
  13. ball — a great time
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. present — the time now
  20. bound — tied together
  21. firm — steady
  22. present — a gift
  23. bound — obliged
  24. jam — a tight spot

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