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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 116 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: sharp · root · saw · drill · field · straw · nail · pass

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. drill — the tool
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. root — of a word
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. saw — the tool
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. pass — a permit
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. field — for sport
  14. root — of a plant
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. drill — army training
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. sharp — clever
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. root — the cause
  22. field — a subject
  23. saw — the tool
  24. field — farmland

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