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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: kick · hand · nail · branch · mouse · drill · suit · pound

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. drill — a practice
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. hand — help
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. suit — clothes
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. drill — the tool
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. suit — in cards
  15. hand — in cards
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. kick — in football
  20. suit — to fit
  21. drill — army training
  22. branch — a division
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. branch — of a bank

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