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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  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. wind — moving air
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bass — the fish
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. drill — a practice
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. drill — the tool
  10. bass — low music
  11. wind — moving air
  12. pit — in a race
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. capital — money
  15. firm — steady
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. capital — a city
  19. firm — decided
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. pit — a hole
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. firm — a company
  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