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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
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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: pitcher · mouse · pound · nail · drill · foot · band · mine

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. mine — for digging
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. drill — the tool
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. drill — army training
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. pound — a weight
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. band — a ring
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. foot — a measure
  19. drill — a practice
  20. band — a music group
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pitcher — a jug

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