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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. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. drill — a practice
  4. cell — a phone
  5. drill — army training
  6. stand — to bear
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. club — a group
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. season — of the year
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. season — in sport
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. club — for dancing
  19. rule — government
  20. cell — in biology
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. club — for golf
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. rule — a law

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