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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: root · drill · charge · bank · nail · rush · bass · foot

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. bass — low music
  6. charge — electricity
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. root — of a plant
  11. bank — for money
  12. rush — hurry
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bank — for money
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a word
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. charge — a price
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. charge — in control
  21. drill — a practice
  22. foot — a measure
  23. bass — the fish
  24. drill — army training

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