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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. drill — the tool
  3. rest — what's left
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. degree — an amount
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. degree — temperature
  8. drill — army training
  9. squash — the sport
  10. degree — from a university
  11. squash — to crush
  12. drill — a practice
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. object — an aim
  17. stand — to bear
  18. object — a thing
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. rock — music
  21. rest — what's left
  22. object — to protest
  23. rock — a stone
  24. fan — to cool the air

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