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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. drill — army training
  4. shower — rain
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. fine — high quality
  8. firm — decided
  9. dip — to sink
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. shower — to wash
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. fine — all right
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. drill — the tool
  17. rush — hurry
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. drill — a practice
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. firm — steady

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