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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 120 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: drill · craft · scale · bound · nail · pitch · rest · mug

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. mug — to rob
  3. scale — size or range
  4. drill — a practice
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. mug — a face
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mug — a cup
  9. rest — what's left
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. bound — certain
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. craft — boats
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. bound — obliged
  16. drill — army training
  17. pitch — completely
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — a break
  20. craft — a skill
  21. scale — in music
  22. drill — the tool
  23. bound — tied together
  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