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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
468
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: pitcher · foot · branch · drill · nail · snap · bear · squash

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. squash — the sport
  6. snap — to click
  7. bear — the animal
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. bear — the animal
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. drill — the tool
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. squash — to crush
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. foot — a measure
  18. branch — a division
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. drill — army training
  23. drill — a practice
  24. pitcher — a jug

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