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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. staff — a stick
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. present — a gift
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. dip — to sink
  9. present — there
  10. drill — army training
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — a container
  13. drill — the tool
  14. last — to go on
  15. drill — a practice
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. staff — employees
  21. last — final
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. last — finally
  24. present — the time now

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