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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pitcher · chip · bear · drill · bay · staff · nail · jam

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. staff — employees
  7. chip — for betting
  8. drill — the tool
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. bear — the animal
  15. drill — a practice
  16. drill — army training
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. staff — employees
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bear — the animal
  23. staff — a stick
  24. jam — a tight spot

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