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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.

Make a worksheet

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: kick · roll · file · land · dip · nail · drill · safe

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. drill — the tool
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. roll — a list
  5. roll — a cake
  6. file — a document
  7. land — to come down
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. land — ground
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. file — a line of people
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. file — a tool
  16. kick — in football
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. drill — a practice
  20. dip — to sink
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. land — a country
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. safe — out of danger

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