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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: nail · toast · roll · pound · pop · rush · bass · mark

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pop — to visit
  3. bass — low music
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. pop — soda
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. rush — hurry
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. pop — music
  13. mark — a trace
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. roll — a cake
  16. toast — bread
  17. pound — a weight
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bass — the fish
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. roll — a list
  24. mark — to pay attention

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