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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. drill — army training
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. can — a tin
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. drill — the tool
  8. game — a match
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. root — of a plant
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. root — of a word
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. wake — a trail
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. deal — to handle
  18. can — to be able to
  19. root — the cause
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. game — wild animals
  22. can — a tin
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. fan — a supporter

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