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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. cue — a hint
  3. drill — army training
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. mate — a partner
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. drill — the tool
  8. swing — to play on
  9. bound — certain
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a skill
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. dip — to sink
  14. mate — a friend
  15. cue — a signal
  16. swing — music
  17. cue — for pool
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bound — tied together
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. swing — in golf
  23. bound — obliged
  24. mate — to breed

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