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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 need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — a practice
  6. charge — a price
  7. land — to come down
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. land — a country
  11. fork — in a road
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. cap — a lid
  15. land — ground
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. sharp — clever
  18. cap — of ice
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. charge — electricity
  21. cap — a hat
  22. charge — in control
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. sharp — with an edge

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