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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: rush · squash · pop · nail · club · ground · row · hide

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. ground — crushed
  4. squash — to crush
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. pop — to visit
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. row — a line
  10. pop — soda
  11. row — to paddle
  12. club — a group
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. ground — a position
  17. squash — the sport
  18. ground — the earth
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. club — for golf
  21. pop — music
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. club — for dancing
  24. hide — animal skin

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