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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. bass — low music
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. cue — a signal
  6. drill — the tool
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. current — happening now
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. cue — for pool
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rest — what's left
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. rest — what's left
  16. cue — a hint
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. kick — in football
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. drill — a practice
  21. rest — a break
  22. current — electric
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. current — of water

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