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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 116 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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. drill — a practice
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. content — the amount
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. drill — army training
  11. vault — a safe
  12. drill — the tool
  13. ball — a great time
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bore — to tire
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. chip — to eat
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. content — happy
  24. bore — to drill

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