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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. drill — a practice
  5. drill — the tool
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. file — a tool
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. land — ground
  12. suit — in cards
  13. pass — a permit
  14. land — a country
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. file — a line of people
  17. suit — to fit
  18. vault — a safe
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. suit — clothes
  22. drill — army training
  23. file — a document
  24. land — to come down

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