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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: suit · pitcher · ball · drill · current · nail · roll · pound

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. current — of water
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. current — electric
  5. roll — a cake
  6. suit — to fit
  7. roll — a list
  8. current — happening now
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. drill — a practice
  12. pound — a weight
  13. drill — the tool
  14. drill — army training
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. ball — a great time
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. suit — in cards
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. suit — clothes
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. ball — a dance

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