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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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. pass — a permit
  4. drill — a practice
  5. vault — a safe
  6. charge — electricity
  7. drill — army training
  8. can — a tin
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. charge — in control
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. charge — a price
  15. can — to be able to
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. bass — low music
  18. drill — the tool
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. can — a tin
  23. mine — for digging
  24. date — the fruit

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