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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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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: track · nail · lean · wake · wind · ball · saw · drill

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. wind — moving air
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. ball — a dance
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. lean — thin
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. wake — a trail
  11. lean — to bend
  12. track — to keep track
  13. track — a path
  14. track — a song
  15. drill — the tool
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. drill — a practice
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. drill — army training
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. saw — the tool
  23. wind — moving air
  24. ball — a great time

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