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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. rest — what's left
  3. stock — goods
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. dip — to sink
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. craft — a skill
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. rest — what's left
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. craft — boats
  15. wake — a trail
  16. rest — a break
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. drill — a practice
  19. drill — the tool
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. pitch — completely
  23. stock — shares
  24. dip — a sauce

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