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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: pitcher · scale · nail · saw · sharp · cabinet · pound · bound

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. sharp — clever
  5. saw — the tool
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. bound — certain
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. pound — a weight
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. saw — the tool
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. scale — in music
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bound — obliged
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. scale — size or range

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