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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. drill — the tool
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. cap — a hat
  6. cap — a lid
  7. content — happy
  8. stock — shares
  9. mug — a cup
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. drill — a practice
  12. mug — a face
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bulb — for light
  15. rash — hasty
  16. stock — goods
  17. cap — of ice
  18. mug — to rob
  19. rash — a series
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. bulb — for light
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. content — the amount

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