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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 had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. drill — a practice
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. perch — the fish
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. game — wild animals
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. game — a match
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. mate — a partner
  13. mate — to breed
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. fork — in a road
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pass — a permit
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. drill — the tool
  24. mate — a friend

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