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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: drill · bass · can · field · cabinet · nail · prune · bay

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. prune — to trim
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. prune — to trim
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. field — a subject
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. drill — the tool
  15. field — farmland
  16. field — for sport
  17. drill — a practice
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. can — a tin
  21. can — a tin
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. can — to be able to
  24. bass — low music

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