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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. file — a tool
  3. plane — a tool
  4. cue — for pool
  5. file — a line of people
  6. bound — certain
  7. drill — the tool
  8. bound — obliged
  9. bound — tied together
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cue — a signal
  13. file — a document
  14. pop — soda
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pop — music
  18. drill — a practice
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. cue — a hint
  22. pop — to visit
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. plane — an aircraft

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