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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. craft — a skill
  4. suit — in cards
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pop — soda
  7. drill — the tool
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. kid — child
  10. pop — music
  11. pop — to visit
  12. drill — a practice
  13. suit — to fit
  14. craft — boats
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. kid — to tease
  21. suit — clothes
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. fork — in a road
  24. pass — a permit

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