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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: nail · bore · fine · kid · net · drill · club · cabinet

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. drill — the tool
  3. net — after costs
  4. kid — to tease
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. club — for dancing
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. fine — high quality
  10. drill — army training
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. club — for golf
  13. bore — to drill
  14. net — in sport
  15. bore — to tire
  16. drill — a practice
  17. fine — all right
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. kid — child
  21. net — for catching
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. club — a group

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