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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. drill — army training
  3. wound — an injury
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. drill — the tool
  10. can — a tin
  11. track — to keep track
  12. can — a tin
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. wound — an injury
  18. track — a song
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. track — a path
  22. can — to be able to
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. cabinet — ministers

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