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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: ground · hand · bank · bay · nail · object · mate · drill

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. object — to protest
  6. drill — the tool
  7. drill — army training
  8. ground — the earth
  9. ground — a position
  10. object — an aim
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — of a river
  13. mate — to breed
  14. ground — crushed
  15. hand — help
  16. drill — a practice
  17. bank — for money
  18. mate — a partner
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. object — a thing
  21. hand — in cards
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. mate — a friend
  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