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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: land · mug · nail · ball · racket · drill · arm · net

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. drill — army training
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. mug — a face
  5. net — for catching
  6. ball — a great time
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mug — to rob
  9. net — in sport
  10. drill — a practice
  11. net — after costs
  12. land — ground
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. land — to come down
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. ball — a dance
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. land — a country
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. drill — the tool

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