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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. suit — to fit
  4. drill — a practice
  5. race — the arms race
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. suit — clothes
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. race — a contest
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — letters
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. lie — to recline
  18. race — humankind
  19. drill — the tool
  20. spell — a short time
  21. drill — army training
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pitcher — a jug

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