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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. object — to protest
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. drill — army training
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. bear — the animal
  9. object — a thing
  10. bass — the fish
  11. wound — an injury
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. drill — the tool
  14. wake — a trail
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. bass — low music
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. wound — an injury
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. bear — the animal
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. object — an aim
  24. wake — before a funeral

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