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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 one o'clock ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. stand — to bear
  3. saw — the tool
  4. drill — a practice
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. rest — what's left
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. swing — in golf
  11. pass — a permit
  12. sharp — clever
  13. swing — music
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. saw — the tool
  16. dip — to sink
  17. drill — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. drill — army training
  21. rest — what's left
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. swing — to play on
  24. rest — a break

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