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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. deal — to handle
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. toast — bread
  6. drill — army training
  7. saw — the tool
  8. plane — a tool
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. march — the month
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. prune — to trim
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. march — music
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. march — the month
  20. prune — to trim
  21. drill — the tool
  22. saw — the tool
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. toast — the most admired

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