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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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. drill — army training
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. drill — the tool
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. mark — a trace
  8. plane — a tool
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. field — farmland
  11. court — of a king
  12. drill — a practice
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. mark — a grade
  15. field — a subject
  16. sharp — clever
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. court — of law
  20. court — for sport
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. field — for sport
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. kick — a thrill

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