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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  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. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. mate — a partner
  3. club — for dancing
  4. drill — a practice
  5. mate — to breed
  6. chest — of your body
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. chest — of your body
  9. club — for golf
  10. club — a group
  11. vault — a safe
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. mate — a friend
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. stand — to bear
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. drill — the tool
  21. pass — a permit
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. chest — a box
  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