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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 need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. chip — for betting
  3. net — after costs
  4. tear — to rip
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. net — for catching
  7. fall — to drop
  8. drill — a practice
  9. suit — in cards
  10. last — final
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. drill — army training
  14. last — to go on
  15. net — in sport
  16. tear — from crying
  17. fall — to drop
  18. tear — from crying
  19. suit — clothes
  20. fall — the season
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. last — finally
  24. suit — to fit

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