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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 need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. drill — army training
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. object — a thing
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. object — an aim
  11. shower — rain
  12. suit — in cards
  13. toast — bread
  14. suit — to fit
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. suit — clothes
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. date — the fruit
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. object — to protest
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. shower — to wash
  24. drill — a practice

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