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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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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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — high quality
  4. club — for dancing
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. club — for golf
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. fine — all right
  11. drill — a practice
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. current — of water
  17. row — a quarrel
  18. drill — the tool
  19. row — to paddle
  20. row — a line
  21. current — happening now
  22. current — electric
  23. club — a group
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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