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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 120 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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. saw — the tool
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. swing — in golf
  6. swing — music
  7. drill — the tool
  8. wind — moving air
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. fine — high quality
  12. swing — to play on
  13. drill — army training
  14. stock — goods
  15. fine — all right
  16. wind — moving air
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. stock — shares
  20. saw — the tool
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. sharp — clever
  24. pass — a permit

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