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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bound — obliged
  4. rock — music
  5. drill — army training
  6. rock — a stone
  7. bat — the animal
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bound — certain
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. spell — a short time
  15. tube — a container
  16. spell — letters
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. spell — magic
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. deal — to handle
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. tube — the underground
  24. toast — bread

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