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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 116 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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. drill — the tool
  3. spring — of water
  4. firm — decided
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. can — a tin
  7. spell — letters
  8. can — a tin
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. firm — steady
  11. drill — army training
  12. track — to keep track
  13. spring — the season
  14. spell — a short time
  15. firm — a company
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. spring — a coil
  19. drill — a practice
  20. track — a path
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pitch — completely
  23. can — to be able to
  24. track — a song

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