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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. drill — army training
  4. staff — employees
  5. lean — thin
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. rest — what's left
  8. lean — to bend
  9. pound — a weight
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. staff — a stick
  12. drill — a practice
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. chest — of your body
  15. chest — of your body
  16. deal — to handle
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — a break
  19. chest — a box
  20. present — a gift
  21. present — the time now
  22. staff — employees
  23. present — there
  24. deal — a big deal

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