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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 120 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: patient · key · squash · deal · nail · drill · saw · ball

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. squash — to crush
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. drill — army training
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — the tool
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. drill — a practice
  15. deal — to handle
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. key — in music
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. ball — a dance
  20. ball — a great time
  21. drill — the tool
  22. key — for a lock
  23. squash — the sport
  24. key — the most important part

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