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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. cell — a phone
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. drill — army training
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. drill — the tool
  7. bank — for money
  8. mug — a cup
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. cell — in biology
  12. drill — a practice
  13. bank — for money
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. mug — to rob
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bank — of a river
  18. mug — a face

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