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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. press — to push
  3. bound — certain
  4. perch — the fish
  5. bound — tied together
  6. spell — letters
  7. spell — a short time
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. drill — army training
  11. spell — magic
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. press — a publisher
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. press — newspapers
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. bound — obliged
  18. drill — a practice
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. saw — the tool
  23. saw — the tool
  24. safe — a strongbox

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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