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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: drill · nail · temple · toast · ball · craft · lean · bore

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. drill — a practice
  6. craft — a skill
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. drill — the tool
  9. ball — a great time
  10. bore — to drill
  11. ball — a dance
  12. craft — boats
  13. lean — to bend
  14. drill — army training
  15. bore — to tire
  16. toast — bread
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. lean — thin
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. lean — to rest against

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