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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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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: nail · cell · firm · can · track · suit · pitcher · row

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — steady
  4. firm — decided
  5. track — a path
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — to fit
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. row — a line
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. cell — in biology
  13. suit — clothes
  14. can — a tin
  15. track — a song
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. row — to paddle
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — to be able to
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. track — to keep track
  24. cell — a phone

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