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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: pit · bound · firm · toast · saw · drill · bark · roll

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bound — certain
  4. toast — bread
  5. roll — a list
  6. drill — a practice
  7. firm — a company
  8. bark — to shout
  9. firm — steady
  10. bound — obliged
  11. pit — a hole
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bound — tied together
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. firm — decided
  18. drill — army training
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. roll — a cake
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. saw — the tool

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