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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. bound — tied together
  3. drill — the tool
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. pit — in a race
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. pit — a hole
  8. chair — a leader
  9. stem — to come from
  10. drill — a practice
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. bound — obliged
  14. bound — certain
  15. craft — boats
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. craft — a skill
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. pitch — completely
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. bowl — a dish

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