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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. drill — a practice
  3. row — to paddle
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. row — a line
  6. content — the amount
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. cell — in biology
  10. press — a publisher
  11. press — newspapers
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. drill — the tool
  16. press — to push
  17. drill — army training
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. rush — hurry
  21. cell — a phone
  22. content — happy
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. nail — for a hammer

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