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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.

Make a worksheet

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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. bass — the fish
  3. drill — the tool
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. land — ground
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. land — a country
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. land — to come down
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bass — low music
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. perch — the fish
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. drill — a practice

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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