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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 120 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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pop — soda
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mate — a partner
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. drill — a practice
  11. drill — army training
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. mine — for digging
  14. pop — to visit
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. mate — a friend
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. sharp — clever
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. pop — music
  22. bear — the animal
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. mate — to breed

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