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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 · content · current · row · pit · drill · pass · nail

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pop — to visit
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. pop — soda
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. drill — the tool
  10. drill — army training
  11. current — electric
  12. pop — music
  13. pass — a permit
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. row — to paddle
  16. pit — in a race
  17. current — of water
  18. current — happening now
  19. content — the amount
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. content — happy
  22. pit — a hole
  23. row — a line
  24. content — videos and posts

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