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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. suit — to fit
  3. fine — all right
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. suit — in cards
  7. suit — clothes
  8. track — a song
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. drill — the tool
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. sharp — clever
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. track — to keep track
  17. fine — high quality
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. track — a path
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. drill — a practice
  24. mouse — the animal

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