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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: cabinet · bore · saw · pitcher · bass · foot · bay · nail

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. saw — the tool
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bass — low music
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. foot — a measure
  14. bore — to tire
  15. bass — the fish
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bore — to drill
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. saw — the tool
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pitcher — a jug

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