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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 · pound · present · drill · dip · stem · racket · coach

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. dip — to sink
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. present — there
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. present — the time now
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. drill — the tool
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. drill — army training
  13. present — a gift
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. stem — to come from
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. pound — a weight
  24. stem — a stem cell

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