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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. swing — to play on
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. drill — army training
  10. kid — to tease
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. swing — in golf
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. drill — the tool
  17. kid — child
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. swing — music
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. nail — for a hammer

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