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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. drill — the tool
  4. sharp — clever
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. current — of water
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. current — happening now
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. drill — a practice
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. rash — a series
  21. rash — hasty
  22. current — electric
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. calf — a young animal

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