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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. present — the time now
  3. last — final
  4. charge — in control
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. last — to go on
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — a price
  10. drill — the tool
  11. cue — a signal
  12. present — there
  13. foot — a measure
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. fall — to drop
  16. cue — for pool
  17. present — a gift
  18. mine — for digging
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. drill — army training
  21. fall — to drop
  22. cue — a hint
  23. last — finally
  24. fall — the season

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