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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: bore · club · mug · bay · pitch · drill · trunk · nail

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. mug — a cup
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. mug — to rob
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mug — a face
  9. drill — a practice
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. drill — the tool
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. club — for dancing
  14. club — for golf
  15. pitch — completely
  16. bore — to tire
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. club — a group
  21. bore — to drill
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. bore — gave birth
  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