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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: nail · prune · pound · wound · bass · drill · pitch · saw

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. prune — to trim
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. drill — a practice
  5. pitch — completely
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. saw — the tool
  10. drill — the tool
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. drill — army training
  14. bass — low music
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pound — a weight
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. wound — an injury
  22. bass — the fish
  23. prune — to trim
  24. wound — an injury

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