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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 120 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: pit · nail · bank · swing · mouse · branch · squash · drill

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bank — for money
  3. drill — army training
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bank — of a river
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. drill — a practice
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. pit — a hole
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. drill — the tool
  15. bank — for money
  16. branch — a division
  17. pit — in a race
  18. swing — music
  19. swing — to play on
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. squash — the sport
  24. squash — to crush

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