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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: jam · pound · roll · saw · ball · net · nail · rest

  1. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — for dogs
  2. net — in sport
  3. saw — the tool
  4. net — for catching
  5. pound — a weight
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. rest — a break
  8. rest — what's left
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ball — a dance
  12. saw — the tool
  13. roll — a list
  14. net — after costs
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. ball — a great time
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. roll — a cake
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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