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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. drill — the tool
  6. file — a tool
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. march — music
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. saw — the tool
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. march — the month
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. file — a document
  19. file — a line of people
  20. drill — a practice
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. march — the month

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