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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. board — a committee
  5. vault — a safe
  6. net — in sport
  7. net — after costs
  8. drill — a practice
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. board — to get on
  17. rush — hurry
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. net — for catching
  22. drill — army training
  23. hide — animal skin
  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