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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. mug — to rob
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. fine — high quality
  6. present — a gift
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. drill — a practice
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. drill — army training
  12. fine — all right
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. cell — in biology
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. cell — a phone
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. mug — a face
  20. present — the time now
  21. present — there
  22. mug — a cup
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. wake — a trail

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