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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  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. cap — a lid
  2. drill — army training
  3. saw — the tool
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. firm — decided
  6. bank — for money
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. bank — for money
  10. firm — a company
  11. saw — the tool
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. game — wild animals
  15. rash — hasty
  16. drill — a practice
  17. bank — of a river
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. firm — steady
  20. rash — a series
  21. cap — of ice
  22. game — a match
  23. cap — a hat
  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