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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · can · leaves · cell · present · drill · fork · pop

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pop — soda
  3. cell — in biology
  4. fork — in a road
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. cell — a phone
  7. drill — a practice
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. drill — army training
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. can — a tin
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. present — there
  16. can — to be able to
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. present — the time now
  20. pop — to visit
  21. can — a tin
  22. drill — the tool
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. present — a gift

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