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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 116 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: staff · pop · chair · mug · pound · can · drill · nail

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. chair — a leader
  3. staff — a stick
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. can — a tin
  6. staff — employees
  7. pound — a weight
  8. drill — army training
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. can — to be able to
  11. mug — a cup
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. mug — a face
  14. pop — music
  15. pop — to visit
  16. drill — the tool
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. pop — soda
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. staff — employees
  23. can — a tin
  24. mug — to rob

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