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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 116 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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. shower — rain
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. court — of a king
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. court — of law
  7. rock — music
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. bank — of a river
  10. drill — army training
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bank — for money
  14. shower — to wash
  15. bank — for money
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. rock — a stone
  18. suit — in cards
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. suit — clothes
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. drill — the tool
  23. court — for sport
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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