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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: bore · mark · spell · scale · bound · nail · bowl · straw

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. bound — certain
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. spell — magic
  13. scale — in music
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bound — tied together
  20. mark — a grade
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. spell — letters
  23. spell — a short time
  24. mark — a trace

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