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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. staff — employees
  4. track — to keep track
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. drill — a practice
  7. suit — to fit
  8. drill — the tool
  9. wind — moving air
  10. suit — clothes
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. staff — a stick
  13. firm — steady
  14. track — a song
  15. suit — in cards
  16. staff — employees
  17. track — a path
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. drill — army training
  21. firm — a company
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. firm — decided
  24. nail — for a hammer

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