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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. drill — a practice
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. suit — in cards
  7. ground — a position
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. drill — army training
  11. plane — a tool
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. ground — crushed
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. suit — clothes
  18. suit — to fit
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. plane — in geometry
  22. ground — the earth
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. patient — a sick person

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