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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 120 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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. rest — a break
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. march — music
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. bore — to tire
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. hand — help
  10. march — the month
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. rest — what's left
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. rest — what's left
  18. hand — in cards
  19. drill — the tool
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bore — to drill
  22. march — the month
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. drill — army training

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