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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: cell · deal · nail · fork · leaves · drill · jam · land

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. fork — in a road
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. cell — a phone
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. deal — to handle
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. drill — a practice
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. land — to come down
  15. land — ground
  16. drill — army training
  17. land — a country
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. cell — in biology
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. fork — to eat with

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