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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  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. rest — what's left
  2. drill — a practice
  3. bass — the fish
  4. rest — what's left
  5. perch — the fish
  6. drill — the tool
  7. club — for dancing
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. club — a group
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. stand — to bear
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. club — for golf
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. rest — a break
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bass — low music
  23. nail — for a hammer
  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