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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. ball — a dance
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. ground — the earth
  6. drill — army training
  7. suit — clothes
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mate — to breed
  10. mate — a friend
  11. perch — the fish
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. mark — a grade
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. ball — a great time
  16. suit — in cards
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. mate — a partner
  19. drill — a practice
  20. ground — a position
  21. ground — crushed
  22. suit — to fit
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. racket — a loud noise

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