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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. tube — the underground
  3. roll — a list
  4. rock — music
  5. drill — army training
  6. roll — a cake
  7. mug — to rob
  8. last — final
  9. drill — the tool
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. drill — a practice
  12. last — finally
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. rock — a stone
  15. mug — a cup
  16. last — to go on
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — a container

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