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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 120 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: fan · nail · trunk · squash · fine · mug · deal · ruler

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. squash — the sport
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. mug — a face
  7. fine — all right
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. deal — to handle
  17. mug — a cup
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. mug — to rob
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. squash — to crush

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