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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 120 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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. When was this ________________ built?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. drill — a practice
  6. current — of water
  7. drill — army training
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. last — finally
  12. band — a music group
  13. current — happening now
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. last — to go on
  16. current — electric
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — to fit
  19. band — a ring
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. suit — clothes
  22. last — final
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. band — a rubber band

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