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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. drill — the tool
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. march — the month
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. march — the month
  13. drill — army training
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. wax — to grow
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. march — music
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. hide — to keep secret

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