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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: board · drill · cabinet · date · prune · nail · bulb · racket

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. board — a committee
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. drill — the tool
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. prune — to trim
  10. drill — army training
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. date — the fruit
  13. prune — to trim
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. board — to get on
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. drill — a practice

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