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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. drill — army training
  3. spell — letters
  4. bat — the animal
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. drill — the tool
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. plane — a tool
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. row — a line
  13. drill — a practice
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. row — to paddle
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. spell — a short time
  19. firm — decided
  20. spell — magic
  21. firm — a company
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. firm — steady

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