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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: drill · nail · date · cue · saw · key · charge · wound

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. saw — the tool
  3. wound — an injury
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — a practice
  6. charge — a price
  7. key — for a lock
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. key — the most important part
  10. cue — a hint
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. charge — in control
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. cue — a signal
  15. key — in music
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. cue — for pool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. drill — the tool
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. wound — an injury
  24. charge — electricity

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