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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: toast · sharp · date · bore · bank · board · nail · pitcher

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bore — to tire
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. bore — to drill
  9. board — a committee
  10. bank — for money
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. date — the fruit
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bank — for money
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. board — to get on
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. toast — bread
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bank — of a river
  24. date — on the calendar

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