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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. drill — a practice
  3. tube — a container
  4. drill — army training
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — in a race
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. charge — a price
  13. pit — a hole
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. file — a line of people
  16. lie — to recline
  17. charge — electricity
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. charge — in control
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. file — a tool
  22. tube — the underground
  23. file — a document
  24. tube — in a tire

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