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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 116 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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468
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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. drill — army training
  3. can — to be able to
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. can — a tin
  11. squash — the sport
  12. pit — a hole
  13. can — a tin
  14. squash — to crush
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. prune — to trim
  21. pit — in a race
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. drill — the tool

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