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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. board — to get on
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. drill — the tool
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. last — to go on
  10. drill — army training
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. game — wild animals
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. board — a committee
  16. game — a match
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. last — final
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. wound — an injury
  23. last — finally
  24. stick — a piece of wood

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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