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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 trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. field — a subject
  4. fall — the season
  5. suit — to fit
  6. fall — to drop
  7. current — happening now
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. field — for sport
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. firm — decided
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. firm — steady
  14. suit — in cards
  15. field — farmland
  16. suit — clothes
  17. fall — to drop
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. drill — a practice
  20. current — electric
  21. drill — the tool
  22. firm — a company
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. current — of water

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