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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. lean — thin
  3. drill — a practice
  4. lean — to bend
  5. mate — to breed
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. drill — army training
  9. mate — a partner
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. mate — a friend
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. plane — a tool
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. content — happy
  22. sharp — clever
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. patient — a sick person

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