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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. drill — a practice
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. saw — the tool
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. cap — a lid
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. stand — to bear
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. drill — army training
  17. cap — of ice
  18. cap — a hat
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. snap — to click
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. drill — the tool
  23. saw — the tool
  24. stand — on your feet

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