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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 120 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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. craft — a skill
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a dance
  6. wound — an injury
  7. press — newspapers
  8. key — in music
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. key — the most important part
  11. press — a publisher
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. craft — boats
  14. drill — the tool
  15. band — a ring
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. key — for a lock
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. stem — to come from
  21. wound — an injury
  22. press — to push
  23. drill — a practice
  24. band — a music group

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