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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. branch — a division
  3. pound — a weight
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. suit — to fit
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. wind — moving air
  9. suit — in cards
  10. drill — a practice
  11. suit — clothes
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. toast — bread
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. rash — hasty
  19. wind — moving air
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. rash — a series
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. drill — army training

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