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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: nail · kick · saw · row · bank · track · coach · object

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. object — an aim
  8. row — to paddle
  9. track — a path
  10. track — a song
  11. kick — in football
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. track — to keep track
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bank — for money
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. bank — of a river
  18. object — to protest
  19. bank — for money
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. row — a line
  22. saw — the tool
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. saw — the tool

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