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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. drill — a practice
  4. suit — in cards
  5. drill — army training
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. track — to keep track
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. track — a path
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. suit — to fit
  13. spring — a coil
  14. file — a tool
  15. spring — the season
  16. file — a document
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. file — a line of people
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. track — a song
  21. squash — the sport
  22. spring — of water
  23. squash — to crush
  24. suit — clothes

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