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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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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: swing · stick · net · lie · nail · bay · wind · pitcher

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. swing — to play on
  4. net — in sport
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. lie — to recline
  7. swing — music
  8. net — for catching
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. wind — moving air
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. net — after costs
  16. swing — in golf
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. wind — moving air

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