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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 have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. drill — army training
  3. drill — the tool
  4. drill — a practice
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. present — there
  8. lie — to recline
  9. last — finally
  10. current — electric
  11. last — to go on
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. current — happening now
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. last — final
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. current — of water
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. present — the time now
  23. foot — a measure
  24. present — a gift

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