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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. drill — a practice
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. lean — to bend
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. can — a tin
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. can — to be able to
  16. lean — thin
  17. drill — army training
  18. stand — to bear
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. bark — to shout
  21. can — a tin
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. lean — to rest against

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