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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. fine — all right
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. shower — rain
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. board — to get on
  8. drill — a practice
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. drill — the tool
  11. row — to paddle
  12. stock — shares
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. board — a committee
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. roll — a list
  18. row — a line
  19. fine — high quality
  20. stock — goods
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. shower — to wash
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. roll — a cake

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