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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.

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: drill · swing · bowl · ground · bank · band · leaves · nail

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. ground — crushed
  4. band — a ring
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. swing — in golf
  7. drill — the tool
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. bank — for money
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. drill — a practice
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. band — a music group
  15. bank — for money
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. swing — music
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. ground — the earth
  20. bank — of a river
  21. ground — a position
  22. swing — to play on
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. nail — for a hammer

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