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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 116 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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. current — happening now
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. plane — a tool
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. drill — army training
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. current — of water
  12. ground — a position
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. pit — in a race
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. current — electric
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. ground — crushed
  20. pit — a hole
  21. rush — hurry
  22. drill — the tool
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. ground — the earth

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