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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 124 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: bowl · bear · drill · current · row · pitcher · scale · nail

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. drill — army training
  3. drill — the tool
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. row — to paddle
  8. scale — in music
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. scale — size or range
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. drill — a practice
  17. current — electric
  18. current — of water
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. current — happening now
  23. row — a line
  24. pitcher — a jug

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