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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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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: saw · mug · bore · nail · lean · wake · bass · charge

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. lean — to bend
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. saw — the tool
  6. lean — thin
  7. mug — a cup
  8. wake — a trail
  9. charge — a price
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. mug — to rob
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. bore — to drill
  14. mug — a face
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. bass — low music
  19. saw — the tool
  20. charge — in control
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. charge — electricity
  23. bore — to tire
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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