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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.

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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: suit · drill · band · saw · wound · nail · bore · track

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  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. wound — an injury
  2. drill — the tool
  3. drill — army training
  4. track — a path
  5. bore — to drill
  6. band — a music group
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bore — to tire
  11. drill — a practice
  12. suit — in cards
  13. track — to keep track
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — to fit
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. saw — the tool
  18. band — a ring
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  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