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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bat · ruler · safe · rock · club · drill · track · spell

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. drill — a practice
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. club — for golf
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. track — to keep track
  9. spell — letters
  10. drill — the tool
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. drill — army training
  16. rock — a stone
  17. track — a song
  18. spell — magic
  19. bat — the animal
  20. track — a path
  21. club — for dancing
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. spell — a short time
  24. rock — music

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