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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: clip · spell · coach · rule · squash · drill · stand · nail

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. clip — a video
  3. spell — a short time
  4. stand — to bear
  5. clip — to cut
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. drill — army training
  10. drill — the tool
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. rule — a law
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. drill — a practice
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. squash — to crush
  19. spell — magic
  20. clip — for paper
  21. squash — the sport
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. spell — letters
  24. rule — government

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