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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. kick — in football
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. firm — steady
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. shower — rain
  11. drill — the tool
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. craft — a skill
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. firm — a company
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. craft — boats
  22. firm — decided
  23. shower — to wash
  24. drill — army training

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