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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rush — hurry
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. current — of water
  8. drill — army training
  9. dip — to sink
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. track — to keep track
  14. current — happening now
  15. pit — in a race
  16. drill — the tool
  17. track — a song
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. pit — a hole
  21. track — a path
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. current — electric
  24. dip — a sauce

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