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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. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — to stop sleeping
  2. drill — army training
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. drill — the tool
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. band — a music group
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. object — to protest
  11. pit — a hole
  12. object — a thing
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. drill — a practice
  15. band — a ring
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. pit — in a race
  18. object — an aim
  19. wake — a trail
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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