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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: ground · rule · fine · nail · bat · pitcher · pound · cap

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. cap — a hat
  3. bat — the animal
  4. ground — the earth
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. ground — crushed
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. ground — a position
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. fine — high quality
  15. rule — a law
  16. cap — of ice
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. rule — government
  23. cap — a lid
  24. pound — a weight

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