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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. board — to get on
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. drill — the tool
  6. band — a music group
  7. pop — music
  8. board — a committee
  9. staff — a stick
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. staff — employees
  12. tear — from crying
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. tear — from crying
  15. band — a ring
  16. tear — to rip
  17. pop — to visit
  18. foot — a measure
  19. pop — soda
  20. staff — employees
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. chair — a leader
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. drill — a practice

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