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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 116 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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. spring — of water
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. fall — the season
  5. firm — a company
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. firm — decided
  8. firm — steady
  9. suit — to fit
  10. mine — for digging
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fall — to drop
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. suit — in cards
  15. spring — the season
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. squash — the sport
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. drill — the tool
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. suit — clothes
  22. drill — army training
  23. squash — to crush
  24. spring — a coil

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