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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. drill — a practice
  4. charge — electricity
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. charge — in control
  7. saw — the tool
  8. drill — army training
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. saw — the tool
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. charge — a price
  17. rule — government
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. rule — a law
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wax — to grow
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. sharp — clever

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