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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. staff — employees
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. board — to get on
  5. ground — the earth
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. roll — a cake
  10. ground — a position
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — to handle
  14. drill — the tool
  15. staff — employees
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. board — a committee
  19. staff — a stick
  20. drill — army training
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. ground — crushed
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. roll — a list

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