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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: pitcher · lean · face · kick · dip · nail · ruler · racket

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. lean — thin
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. face — part of the head
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. lean — to bend
  11. face — to confront
  12. kick — in football
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. face — to point toward
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. dip — to sink

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