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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. spell — magic
  3. mug — a face
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — in cards
  6. tear — from crying
  7. tear — from crying
  8. drill — army training
  9. present — the time now
  10. drill — a practice
  11. drill — the tool
  12. board — to get on
  13. present — a gift
  14. suit — to fit
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bore — to tire
  19. mug — to rob
  20. present — there
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. spell — letters
  23. board — a committee
  24. tear — to rip

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