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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: shower · file · arm · nail · drill · rush · chip · board

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. board — to get on
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. drill — the tool
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. drill — army training
  10. file — a line of people
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. rush — hurry
  15. file — a tool
  16. shower — rain
  17. chip — to eat
  18. shower — to wash
  19. chip — for betting
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. drill — a practice
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. board — a committee

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