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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. fine — all right
  3. drill — the tool
  4. plane — a tool
  5. face — to point toward
  6. face — part of the head
  7. squash — the sport
  8. race — the arms race
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. mug — a face
  11. squash — to crush
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. race — humankind
  15. ground — a position
  16. mug — to rob
  17. ground — the earth
  18. race — a contest
  19. drill — a practice
  20. mug — a cup
  21. face — to confront
  22. fine — high quality
  23. ground — crushed
  24. plane — an aircraft

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