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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. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. drill — army training
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. drill — a practice
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. drill — the tool
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. stock — goods
  17. staff — employees
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. stock — shares
  24. staff — a stick

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