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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 · pitcher · cap · lie · foot · club · bowl · present

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. cap — a hat
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. present — there
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. club — a group
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. present — a gift
  16. cap — a lid
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. foot — a measure
  19. cap — of ice
  20. club — for dancing
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. club — for golf
  24. present — the time now

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