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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  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. wake — a trail
  2. row — to paddle
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. drill — the tool
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bound — tied together
  8. drill — a practice
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. rest — what's left
  11. season — in sport
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. season — of the year
  18. row — a line
  19. rest — a break
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bound — certain
  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