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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. press — a publisher
  4. drill — a practice
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. pitch — completely
  7. shower — rain
  8. fall — the season
  9. band — a music group
  10. fall — to drop
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. drill — the tool
  13. charge — in control
  14. charge — electricity
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. band — a ring
  17. shower — to wash
  18. charge — a price
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. press — newspapers
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. press — to push
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. fall — to drop

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