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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
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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: rush · deal · drill · craft · bay · fall · ball · staff

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. ball — a great time
  5. staff — a stick
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. craft — boats
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. deal — to handle
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. craft — a skill
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — to drop
  14. staff — employees
  15. drill — the tool
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. rush — hurry
  19. fall — the season
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. staff — employees
  22. drill — a practice
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. rush — to hurry

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