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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. drill — the tool
  3. current — of water
  4. firm — steady
  5. drill — army training
  6. drill — a practice
  7. firm — decided
  8. current — electric
  9. cap — a lid
  10. current — happening now
  11. toast — bread
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. cap — a hat
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. rush — hurry
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. firm — a company
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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