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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. False peace will not ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. last — to go on
  3. degree — from a university
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. drill — army training
  7. lie — to recline
  8. degree — an amount
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. degree — temperature
  11. last — finally
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bank — for money
  14. can — a tin
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money
  19. last — final
  20. dip — to sink
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. drill — the tool

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