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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. suit — to fit
  3. drill — the tool
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. drill — army training
  6. firm — a company
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bear — the animal
  10. firm — steady
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. field — for sport
  13. last — to go on
  14. last — finally
  15. march — the month
  16. field — farmland
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. march — the month
  19. suit — clothes
  20. firm — decided
  21. march — music
  22. last — final
  23. bear — the animal
  24. field — a subject

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