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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. staff — employees
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. drill — a practice
  6. staff — employees
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. lie — to recline
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. hand — help
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. season — in sport
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. drill — the tool
  18. wake — a trail
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. season — of the year
  21. hand — in cards
  22. bank — for money
  23. staff — a stick
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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