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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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. drill — the tool
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. rest — what's left
  5. craft — a skill
  6. board — to get on
  7. drill — a practice
  8. board — a committee
  9. pass — a permit
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. craft — boats
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. field — a subject
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. spring — the season
  18. drill — army training
  19. field — farmland
  20. spring — a coil
  21. rest — a break
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. field — for sport
  24. rest — what's left

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