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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. drill — the tool
  4. last — final
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. shower — to wash
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. suit — clothes
  9. board — a committee
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. row — to paddle
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. last — finally
  14. drill — army training
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bass — low music
  17. shower — rain
  18. row — a line
  19. last — to go on
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — to fit
  22. board — to get on
  23. rock — music
  24. bass — the fish

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