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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: suit · date · pop · foot · spring · deal · bass · nail

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. suit — clothes
  3. foot — a measure
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. spring — the season
  6. pop — to visit
  7. bass — low music
  8. spring — a coil
  9. date — the fruit
  10. pop — music
  11. deal — to handle
  12. pop — soda
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. suit — in cards
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. suit — to fit
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. spring — of water
  22. bass — the fish
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. foot — part of the body

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