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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. drill — the tool
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. face — to confront
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. prune — to trim
  9. mate — a friend
  10. roll — a list
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. face — to point toward
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. mate — a partner
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. mate — to breed
  19. bark — to shout
  20. prune — to trim
  21. face — part of the head
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. roll — a cake
  24. drill — army training

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