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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: pop · drill · wind · nail · rock · toast · plane · racket

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. pop — soda
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. wind — moving air
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. plane — a tool
  8. toast — bread
  9. wind — moving air
  10. rock — music
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. pop — to visit
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. drill — army training
  16. pop — music
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. drill — the tool
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rock — a stone

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