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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 · saw · wave · track · straw · ball · bulb · bark

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. ball — a great time
  8. bulb — for light
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. bulb — for light
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. saw — the tool
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bark — to shout
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. saw — the tool
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. track — a path
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. ball — a dance
  23. track — to keep track
  24. track — a song

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