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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. drill — army training
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. drill — a practice
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. rash — hasty
  8. prune — to trim
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. ground — crushed
  11. ground — the earth
  12. press — newspapers
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. toast — bread
  15. rash — a series
  16. prune — to trim
  17. press — a publisher
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. tube — a container
  21. press — to push
  22. ground — a position
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. tube — the underground

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