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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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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: fall · bank · cue · fine · suit · ground · nail · drill

  1. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. cue — for pool
  3. bank — of a river
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. suit — to fit
  6. drill — a practice
  7. ground — the earth
  8. cue — a signal
  9. fall — to drop
  10. cue — a hint
  11. ground — crushed
  12. suit — in cards
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fall — the season
  15. drill — the tool
  16. fine — all right
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bank — for money
  19. fine — high quality
  20. fall — to drop
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. ground — a position
  24. drill — army training

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