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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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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 · craft · mug · bound · staff · stand · file · snap

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. staff — a stick
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mug — a face
  9. file — a document
  10. staff — employees
  11. bound — tied together
  12. file — a line of people
  13. craft — a skill
  14. file — a tool
  15. mug — a cup
  16. snap — to click
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. bound — certain
  19. craft — boats
  20. stand — to bear
  21. bound — obliged
  22. drill — a practice
  23. staff — employees
  24. drill — army training

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