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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. stand — to bear
  3. can — a tin
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. bank — for money
  9. bank — of a river
  10. drill — a practice
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bank — for money
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. can — a tin
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. squash — to crush
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. squash — the sport
  20. pit — a hole
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. drill — army training
  23. pit — in a race
  24. can — to be able to

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