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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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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. saw — the tool
  4. scale — in music
  5. drill — the tool
  6. mine — for digging
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. bank — for money
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. scale — size or range
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. deal — to handle
  16. drill — army training
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bank — for money
  20. drill — a practice
  21. bear — the animal
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bank — of a river
  24. saw — the tool

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