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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: drill · bear · cabinet · last · mug · wake · fine · can

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. fine — all right
  3. last — finally
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. wake — a trail
  6. drill — the tool
  7. drill — army training
  8. last — to go on
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. mug — a face
  12. bear — the animal
  13. drill — a practice
  14. bear — the animal
  15. mug — to rob
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. fine — high quality
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. can — a tin
  23. last — final
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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