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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. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. drill — army training
  3. firm — a company
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. date — the fruit
  7. pound — a weight
  8. drill — a practice
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. race — humankind
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. drill — the tool
  13. race — a contest
  14. firm — decided
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. race — the arms race
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. stem — to come from
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. firm — steady

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