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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. pitch — completely
  3. mate — a friend
  4. wound — an injury
  5. mate — to breed
  6. current — of water
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. lie — to recline
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. mate — a partner
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. drill — the tool
  15. wound — an injury
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. drill — a practice
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. current — happening now
  21. current — electric
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. snap — to click

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