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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 124 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 had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. drill — army training
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. drill — a practice
  5. row — a line
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. cue — for pool
  10. mug — a cup
  11. cue — a signal
  12. spring — the season
  13. row — to paddle
  14. spring — a coil
  15. mug — to rob
  16. spring — of water
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. mug — a face
  19. rash — hasty
  20. drill — the tool
  21. cue — a hint
  22. rash — a series
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. stand — to bear

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