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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: pit · degree · nail · squash · drill · bank · pass · bass

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bank — of a river
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. degree — from a university
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. pit — a hole
  12. degree — temperature
  13. drill — the tool
  14. drill — army training
  15. bass — low music
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. squash — the sport
  18. bank — for money
  19. squash — to crush
  20. bank — for money
  21. degree — an amount
  22. pass — a permit
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. nail — for a hammer

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