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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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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: pit · wake · drill · scale · trunk · pop · nail · swing

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. wake — a trail
  3. scale — in music
  4. pop — to visit
  5. scale — size or range
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. drill — a practice
  8. pit — in a race
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. pit — a hole
  11. drill — army training
  12. swing — to play on
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. swing — music
  15. pop — music
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. drill — the tool
  20. pop — soda
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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