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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 120 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: coach · nail · mouse · drill · rash · plane · pit · pop

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. pit — a hole
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. pit — in a race
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. drill — the tool
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. pop — soda
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pop — music
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. drill — a practice
  15. rash — hasty
  16. pop — to visit
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. plane — a tool
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rash — a series
  24. nail — for a hammer

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