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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. net — for catching
  3. drill — a practice
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — in cards
  6. track — a song
  7. track — a path
  8. mark — a grade
  9. ball — a great time
  10. track — to keep track
  11. suit — to fit
  12. net — after costs
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. stand — to bear
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. net — in sport
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. drill — army training
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. mark — a trace
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. ball — a dance

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