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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. saw — the tool
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. squash — to crush
  7. saw — the tool
  8. chest — of your body
  9. drill — army training
  10. bass — low music
  11. chest — a box
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. dip — to sink
  14. suit — to fit
  15. drill — a practice
  16. suit — in cards
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. chest — of your body
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. squash — the sport
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. bass — the fish

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