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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 116 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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. track — a path
  3. drill — the tool
  4. drill — army training
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. drill — a practice
  9. fine — high quality
  10. stem — to come from
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. track — a song
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. track — to keep track
  15. fine — all right
  16. deal — to handle
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. spell — magic
  21. spell — letters
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. straw — a straw man

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