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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 116 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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Word bank
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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. drill — army training
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. degree — temperature
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. mark — a trace
  8. drill — a practice
  9. degree — an amount
  10. mark — a grade
  11. spell — magic
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. spell — a short time
  19. degree — from a university
  20. saw — the tool
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. spell — letters
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. saw — the tool

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