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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. mate — a friend
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. drill — a practice
  6. track — a path
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. track — to keep track
  10. drill — the tool
  11. prune — to trim
  12. track — a song
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. sharp — clever
  16. mate — a partner
  17. prune — to trim
  18. mate — to breed
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. dip — to sink
  23. stand — to bear
  24. hide — to keep secret

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