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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. drill — the tool
  3. drill — a practice
  4. drill — army training
  5. bank — of a river
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. bank — for money
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. spell — magic
  11. stand — to bear
  12. spell — letters
  13. spell — a short time
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stand — for spectators

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