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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 120 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — music
  4. can — to be able to
  5. club — for golf
  6. can — a tin
  7. ground — the earth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. can — a tin
  11. club — for dancing
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. drill — the tool
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. drill — army training
  19. stem — to come from
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. ground — crushed
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. ground — a position
  24. club — a group

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