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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. shower — rain
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. face — part of the head
  8. row — to paddle
  9. bank — for money
  10. chair — a leader
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. shower — to wash
  13. drill — a practice
  14. face — to point toward
  15. kid — to tease
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. row — a line
  18. bank — of a river
  19. kid — child
  20. bank — for money
  21. toast — bread
  22. face — to confront
  23. drill — the tool
  24. chair — to sit on

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