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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: last · wind · mine · suit · cap · nail · rock · lie

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. suit — in cards
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. cap — of ice
  6. wind — moving air
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. cap — a hat
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. cap — a lid
  11. last — final
  12. mine — for digging
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. last — finally
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — to fit
  17. wind — moving air
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. rock — a stone
  20. last — to go on
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. lie — to recline
  23. rock — music
  24. nail — for a hammer

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