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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 116 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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. suit — clothes
  4. charge — electricity
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. wound — an injury
  8. suit — to fit
  9. drill — a practice
  10. wound — an injury
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. prune — to trim
  15. charge — a price
  16. hand — help
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. drill — army training
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. hand — in cards
  23. suit — in cards
  24. charge — in control

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