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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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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: fall · fine · mark · pass · cue · nail · can · drill

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. fine — high quality
  3. cue — a hint
  4. cue — for pool
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. can — to be able to
  7. cue — a signal
  8. drill — the tool
  9. fine — all right
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. drill — army training
  14. pass — a permit
  15. mark — a trace
  16. fall — to drop
  17. fall — the season
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. drill — a practice
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. can — a tin
  22. mark — a grade
  23. fall — to drop
  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