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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  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. craft — boats
  2. drill — a practice
  3. club — for dancing
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. drill — the tool
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. charge — electricity
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. club — for golf
  13. charge — a price
  14. swing — in golf
  15. charge — in control
  16. club — a group
  17. craft — a skill
  18. kid — child
  19. ball — a dance
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. swing — music
  22. swing — to play on
  23. kid — to tease
  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