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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rest — a break
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. drill — a practice
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. drill — army training
  7. mine — for digging
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. field — farmland
  12. cue — for pool
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. field — for sport
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. field — a subject
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. cue — a signal
  22. rest — what's left
  23. cue — a hint
  24. drill — the tool

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