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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. object — an aim
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. rule — government
  5. suit — clothes
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. drill — army training
  10. pop — music
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pop — soda
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. object — a thing
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. drill — a practice
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. rule — a law
  19. sharp — clever
  20. object — to protest
  21. wake — a trail
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. sharp — exactly

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