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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. drill — a practice
  3. staff — employees
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. craft — boats
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. staff — a stick
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. lie — to recline
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. track — to keep track
  15. track — a song
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. drill — the tool
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. craft — a skill
  23. track — a path
  24. staff — employees

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