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

Word bank: object · mug · wake · firm · bowl · board · drill · last

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. drill — a practice
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. drill — army training
  6. object — a thing
  7. firm — steady
  8. object — to protest
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. mug — a face
  11. mug — a cup
  12. object — an aim
  13. drill — the tool
  14. board — a committee
  15. wake — a trail
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. firm — decided
  18. last — finally
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. mug — to rob
  21. last — to go on
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. last — final
  24. board — to get on

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