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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bulb — for light
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. sharp — clever
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. chest — of your body
  14. chest — of your body
  15. drill — a practice
  16. chest — a box
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. bulb — for light
  19. foot — a measure
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. drill — the tool
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. racket — a loud noise

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