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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. cell — in biology
  3. drill — army training
  4. wake — a trail
  5. suit — in cards
  6. spell — magic
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. pit — in a race
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. spell — letters
  14. cell — a phone
  15. suit — to fit
  16. suit — clothes
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. drill — a practice
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. spell — a short time
  21. drill — the tool
  22. pit — a hole
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. pitch — completely

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