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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. drill — army training
  3. race — the arms race
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. wake — a trail
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. pit — a hole
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. race — a contest
  11. deal — to handle
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. board — to get on
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. race — humankind
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. pit — in a race
  22. board — a committee
  23. drill — a practice
  24. coach — a trainer

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