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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: fine · dip · squash · nail · rock · land · object · arm

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. squash — the sport
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. dip — to sink
  7. object — to protest
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. land — to come down
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. land — ground
  13. rock — music
  14. fine — high quality
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. object — a thing
  20. object — an aim
  21. rock — a stone
  22. fine — all right
  23. land — a country
  24. squash — to crush

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