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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. scale — in music
  5. suit — in cards
  6. drill — a practice
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. scale — size or range
  9. chip — to eat
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. chip — for betting
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pit — a hole
  15. drill — the tool
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. row — a line
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. drill — army training
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. row — to paddle
  22. toast — bread
  23. suit — clothes
  24. nail — on a finger

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