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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: drill · track · fan · nail · plane · bay · pitcher · roll

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. roll — a list
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. drill — army training
  5. plane — a tool
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. track — a path
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. track — to keep track
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. drill — a practice
  21. drill — the tool
  22. track — a song
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. roll — a cake

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