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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. swing — music
  3. drill — army training
  4. suit — to fit
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. object — a thing
  7. bat — the animal
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. stock — shares
  10. stock — goods
  11. swing — to play on
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. tube — the underground
  14. suit — clothes
  15. tube — a container
  16. rock — music
  17. rock — a stone
  18. object — an aim
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. object — to protest
  21. swing — in golf
  22. suit — in cards
  23. drill — a practice
  24. stock — a soup base

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