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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. drill — the tool
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. pass — a permit
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. mate — a partner
  9. fine — all right
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. bat — the animal
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. mate — to breed
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. drill — a practice
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. mate — a friend
  22. fine — high quality
  23. drill — army training
  24. rock — a stone

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