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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: chip · nail · bass · calf · suit · rule · spring · drill

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. rule — a law
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. drill — a practice
  5. spring — a coil
  6. drill — army training
  7. bass — low music
  8. spring — the season
  9. rule — government
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. bass — the fish
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. drill — the tool
  14. chip — for betting
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. suit — to fit
  19. spring — of water
  20. suit — clothes
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. chip — to eat
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. chip — in a computer

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