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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: arm · coach · scale · bark · drill · spell · roll · nail

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. drill — the tool
  6. roll — a list
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. scale — in music
  10. drill — a practice
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. drill — army training
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. spell — a short time
  15. roll — a cake
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. spell — letters
  20. bark — to shout
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. scale — size or range
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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