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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. drill — a practice
  3. mug — to rob
  4. pound — a weight
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. fork — in a road
  7. mark — a grade
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. ball — a dance
  10. mug — a face
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. mug — a cup
  13. ball — a great time
  14. drill — the tool
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. drill — army training
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. mark — a trace
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. row — a line
  23. stand — to bear
  24. row — to paddle

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