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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: nail · saw · plane · drill · cue · bay · lash · band

  1. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a rubber band
  2. plane — a tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. drill — a practice
  7. drill — the tool
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. saw — the tool
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. drill — army training
  12. cue — a signal
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. band — a music group
  15. saw — the tool
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. band — a ring
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. cue — for pool
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. cue — a hint
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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