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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: pitcher · rule · mug · nail · fine · suit · straw · rash

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. mug — to rob
  3. rash — a series
  4. mug — a face
  5. fine — high quality
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. rule — government
  9. mug — a cup
  10. suit — clothes
  11. rule — a law
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. suit — to fit
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. rash — hasty
  19. fine — all right
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. suit — in cards
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. rule — to rule out

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