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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 116 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: game · drill · mouse · bound · current · ground · nail · calf

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. ground — the earth
  3. ground — a position
  4. drill — a practice
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. ground — crushed
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bound — obliged
  13. game — wild animals
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. bound — certain
  18. drill — the tool
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. drill — army training
  21. current — electric
  22. game — a match
  23. current — happening now
  24. current — of water

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