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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. tear — from crying
  4. scale — size or range
  5. drill — a practice
  6. saw — the tool
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. fine — high quality
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. drill — the tool
  15. saw — the tool
  16. tear — to rip
  17. tear — from crying
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. rush — hurry
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. wake — a trail
  23. scale — in music
  24. fine — all right

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