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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
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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: bass · scale · dip · nail · present · foot · drill · race

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. present — a gift
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. race — a contest
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. present — the time now
  8. race — the arms race
  9. bass — the fish
  10. scale — size or range
  11. drill — army training
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. race — humankind
  14. bass — low music
  15. present — there
  16. foot — a measure
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. scale — in music
  19. drill — the tool
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. dip — to sink
  24. foot — part of the body

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