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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. staff — employees
  4. deal — to handle
  5. cap — of ice
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. club — a group
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. cap — a lid
  11. club — for golf
  12. staff — a stick
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. club — for dancing
  16. drill — army training
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. staff — employees
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. cap — a hat
  21. shower — to wash
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. shower — rain
  24. drill — a practice

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