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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mug — a face
  5. deal — to handle
  6. lean — thin
  7. ball — a dance
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. drill — army training
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. lean — to bend
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. mug — a cup
  17. pass — a permit
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. drill — the tool
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. drill — a practice
  22. mug — to rob
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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