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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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468
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: tube · pit · snap · can · fine · ground · bay · nail

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. ground — crushed
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. snap — to click
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. fine — all right
  14. pit — in a race
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. tube — the underground
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. ground — a position
  20. tube — a container
  21. ground — the earth
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. can — a tin
  24. tube — in a tire

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