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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. can — a tin
  3. spell — a short time
  4. suit — to fit
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. net — after costs
  7. spell — magic
  8. can — to be able to
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. net — in sport
  11. rush — hurry
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — in cards
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. drill — a practice
  16. net — for catching
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. can — a tin
  19. spell — letters
  20. squash — the sport
  21. drill — the tool
  22. squash — to crush
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. rush — to hurry

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