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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: nail · bank · drill · board · pop · bulb · scale · fine

  1. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. pop — to visit
  4. drill — the tool
  5. bank — for money
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. bulb — for light
  9. fine — high quality
  10. scale — in music
  11. fine — all right
  12. scale — size or range
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. pop — music
  15. pop — soda
  16. drill — a practice
  17. board — to get on
  18. bank — of a river
  19. board — a committee
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. drill — army training
  24. bank — for money

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