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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. deal — to handle
  3. march — the month
  4. drill — a practice
  5. march — music
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. drill — army training
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. drill — the tool
  13. dip — to sink
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. march — the month
  17. plane — a tool
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. scale — in music
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. scale — size or range

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