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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. drill — army training
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. wax — to grow
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. drill — a practice
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. foot — a measure
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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