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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: cap · jam · row · bank · fall · drill · nail · plane

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bank — of a river
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. cap — a hat
  7. fall — the season
  8. drill — army training
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. cap — a lid
  12. bank — for money
  13. cap — of ice
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. fall — to drop
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. plane — a tool
  19. drill — the tool
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bank — for money
  22. drill — a practice
  23. fall — to drop
  24. row — a line

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