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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
468
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: fall · cap · pit · rush · nail · present · lie · pitcher

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. present — the time now
  3. fall — to drop
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — to recline
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. cap — a lid
  9. fall — the season
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. present — a gift
  15. rush — hurry
  16. pit — in a race
  17. cap — of ice
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. pit — a hole
  20. present — there
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. cap — a hat
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. fall — to drop

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