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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. rush — hurry
  3. drill — a practice
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. drill — the tool
  8. current — happening now
  9. pass — a permit
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. current — electric
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. ground — a position
  16. ground — crushed
  17. mug — a cup
  18. mug — to rob
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. ground — the earth
  21. current — of water
  22. band — a music group
  23. mug — a face
  24. band — a ring

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