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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. object — a thing
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. drill — a practice
  6. drill — the tool
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. fork — in a road
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. toast — bread
  12. dip — to sink
  13. last — to go on
  14. last — finally
  15. snap — to click
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. object — to protest
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. object — an aim
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. last — final
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. toast — the most admired

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