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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: snap · arm · tube · stand · bound · file · drill · nail

  1. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. file — a tool
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. snap — to click
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. drill — a practice
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. drill — army training
  11. bound — obliged
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. tube — the underground
  16. file — a line of people
  17. tube — a container
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. bound — tied together
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. bound — certain
  23. drill — the tool
  24. stand — to bear

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