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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. row — a line
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. suit — clothes
  6. deal — to handle
  7. row — to paddle
  8. rock — music
  9. drill — the tool
  10. rock — a stone
  11. present — the time now
  12. saw — the tool
  13. suit — to fit
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. drill — army training
  17. drill — a practice
  18. present — there
  19. saw — the tool
  20. present — a gift
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. suit — in cards
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. row — a quarrel

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