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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 120 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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. drill — the tool
  3. ball — a dance
  4. drill — army training
  5. lie — to recline
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — to fit
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. ball — a great time
  12. suit — clothes
  13. pitch — completely
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rash — a series
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. dip — to sink
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. drill — a practice
  24. pitch — a sports field

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