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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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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: prune · nail · wound · drill · board · plane · ground · key

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  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. ground — the earth
  2. drill — a practice
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. prune — to trim
  5. board — to get on
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. wound — an injury
  10. plane — a tool
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. key — for a lock
  13. wound — an injury
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. board — a committee
  16. key — the most important part
  17. drill — army training
  18. drill — the tool
  19. ground — crushed
  20. ground — a position
  21. prune — to trim
  22. key — in music
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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