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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. drill — army training
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. bass — the fish
  5. suit — to fit
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. dip — to sink
  8. pit — a hole
  9. bass — low music
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. suit — in cards
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. drill — a practice
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. drill — the tool
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. pit — in a race
  20. suit — clothes
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. game — a match

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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