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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. staff — employees
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. can — to be able to
  8. can — a tin
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. rush — hurry
  14. staff — employees
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. staff — a stick
  20. drill — the tool
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. drill — a practice
  23. can — a tin
  24. drill — army training

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