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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. ground — the earth
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. charge — in control
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. saw — the tool
  11. ground — crushed
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. scale — size or range
  14. ground — a position
  15. charge — a price
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. scale — in music
  18. drill — army training
  19. charge — electricity
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. drill — a practice
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. saw — the tool
  24. mine — for digging

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