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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 116 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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. drill — army training
  3. drill — the tool
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. band — a music group
  6. court — of law
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stock — shares
  9. band — a ring
  10. season — of the year
  11. stock — goods
  12. season — in sport
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bass — low music
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. court — of a king
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bass — the fish
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. court — for sport
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. band — a rubber band

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