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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — a grade
  4. suit — clothes
  5. ground — crushed
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. drill — a practice
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. drill — army training
  13. suit — to fit
  14. tube — a container
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — employees
  17. suit — in cards
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. drill — the tool
  20. tube — the underground
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. ground — the earth
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. staff — a stick

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