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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. wake — a trail
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. firm — a company
  5. firm — decided
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. drill — a practice
  8. race — the arms race
  9. cap — a lid
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. spell — letters
  12. cap — of ice
  13. race — humankind
  14. firm — steady
  15. spell — a short time
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. spell — magic
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. race — a contest
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. cap — a hat
  23. drill — army training
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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