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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: straw · fine · last · foot · drill · hide · wake · board

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. fine — high quality
  5. drill — the tool
  6. wake — a trail
  7. last — to go on
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. last — final
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. last — finally
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. board — to get on
  18. drill — a practice
  19. foot — a measure
  20. board — a committee
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. fine — all right
  24. foot — the bottom

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