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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. rush — hurry
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. scale — in music
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. craft — a skill
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. club — a group
  13. mug — a cup
  14. drill — a practice
  15. hand — help
  16. craft — boats
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. mug — a face
  19. club — for dancing
  20. mug — to rob
  21. drill — the tool
  22. scale — size or range
  23. hand — in cards
  24. club — for golf

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