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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 116 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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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: dip · wind · nail · pitch · stick · ruler · kick · mug

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pitch — completely
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. mug — a cup
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mug — a face
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. wind — moving air
  15. wind — moving air
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. mug — to rob
  20. kick — in football
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. dip — to sink
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. ruler — a monarch

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