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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. suit — clothes
  3. spell — letters
  4. chip — to eat
  5. drill — army training
  6. chip — for betting
  7. drill — the tool
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. last — finally
  10. suit — in cards
  11. spell — magic
  12. spell — a short time
  13. mine — for digging
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. plane — a tool
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bass — low music
  22. bass — the fish
  23. last — final
  24. last — to go on

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