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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. chest — a box
  3. drill — army training
  4. drill — a practice
  5. chest — of your body
  6. mug — a cup
  7. vault — a safe
  8. mug — a face
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. wake — a trail
  12. season — in sport
  13. mug — to rob
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. toast — bread
  22. season — of the year
  23. drill — the tool
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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