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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. drill — a practice
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. suit — to fit
  6. drill — the tool
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. present — a gift
  9. net — for catching
  10. suit — in cards
  11. stand — to bear
  12. spring — a coil
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. present — there
  15. net — in sport
  16. net — after costs
  17. pit — a hole
  18. present — the time now
  19. suit — clothes
  20. spring — the season
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. spring — of water
  24. arm — part of the body

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