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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. drill — army training
  4. tube — a container
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. drill — the tool
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. bass — low music
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. prune — to trim
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rush — hurry
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. tube — the underground
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bass — the fish

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