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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: nail · clip · spring · deal · drill · lie · firm · cue

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. lie — to recline
  3. firm — a company
  4. clip — to cut
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. firm — decided
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. firm — steady
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. drill — the tool
  11. clip — a video
  12. clip — for paper
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cue — a hint
  15. drill — a practice
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. spring — a coil
  18. spring — of water
  19. drill — army training
  20. cue — a signal
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. deal — to handle
  23. spring — the season
  24. lie — an untruth

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