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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: nail · branch · cap · suit · fall · drill · stand · saw

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. fall — the season
  4. fall — to drop
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. branch — a division
  7. suit — in cards
  8. fall — to drop
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stand — to bear
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. cap — of ice
  15. suit — to fit
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. suit — clothes
  18. saw — the tool
  19. drill — army training
  20. cap — a lid
  21. drill — a practice
  22. drill — the tool
  23. cap — a hat
  24. stand — on your feet

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