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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. craft — a skill
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. drill — a practice
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. spell — letters
  8. spell — a short time
  9. rest — a break
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. craft — boats
  12. cue — a hint
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. drill — the tool
  16. cue — for pool
  17. cue — a signal
  18. rest — what's left
  19. chair — a leader
  20. rest — what's left
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. content — happy
  23. spell — magic
  24. content — the amount

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