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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. drill — army training
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. court — of a king
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. court — for sport
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. court — of law
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. rush — hurry
  17. charge — electricity
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. wake — a trail
  20. charge — in control
  21. drill — the tool
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. fork — in a road
  24. charge — a price

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