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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. net — after costs
  3. fall — to drop
  4. board — a committee
  5. fall — to drop
  6. drill — a practice
  7. tear — from crying
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. net — in sport
  11. bear — the animal
  12. net — for catching
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. drill — the tool
  16. fall — the season
  17. tear — to rip
  18. board — to get on
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. tear — from crying
  22. bear — the animal
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. deal — to handle

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