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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 120 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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. drill — a practice
  3. swing — in golf
  4. suit — clothes
  5. swing — music
  6. mark — a grade
  7. tear — from crying
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. drill — army training
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. suit — in cards
  16. mark — a trace
  17. suit — to fit
  18. mine — for digging
  19. tear — from crying
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. swing — to play on
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. tear — to rip

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