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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: pound · ball · safe · drill · pitcher · nail · ground · cap

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. pound — a weight
  3. ball — a great time
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. ground — the earth
  6. ball — a dance
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. drill — the tool
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. drill — army training
  11. cap — of ice
  12. cap — a hat
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. ground — a position
  17. ground — crushed
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. cap — a lid
  24. pound — for dogs

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