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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. drill — army training
  3. staff — a stick
  4. prune — to trim
  5. chip — to eat
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — employees
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. chip — for betting
  12. prune — to trim
  13. plane — a tool
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. drill — the tool
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. last — finally
  19. last — to go on
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. date — the fruit
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a dance
  24. last — final

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