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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. drill — army training
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. fine — all right
  5. drill — a practice
  6. saw — the tool
  7. object — an aim
  8. suit — to fit
  9. lean — to bend
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. suit — clothes
  12. drill — the tool
  13. fine — high quality
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. file — a document
  17. object — a thing
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. file — a line of people
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. saw — the tool
  22. file — a tool
  23. lean — thin
  24. object — to protest

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