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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 took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. vault — a safe
  3. club — a group
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. pit — in a race
  6. mate — to breed
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bore — to tire
  11. mate — a partner
  12. club — for dancing
  13. club — for golf
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bore — to drill
  18. pit — a hole
  19. bat — the animal
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. mate — a friend
  24. cabinet — ministers

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