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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — all right
  4. track — a path
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. fine — high quality
  7. mug — a face
  8. current — happening now
  9. current — electric
  10. drill — army training
  11. drill — a practice
  12. track — a song
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. current — of water
  15. drill — the tool
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. row — a line
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. track — to keep track
  20. mug — a cup
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. row — to paddle
  24. chair — a leader

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