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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. drill — army training
  8. mate — a partner
  9. bound — tied together
  10. drill — a practice
  11. last — to go on
  12. bound — certain
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. deal — to handle
  15. drill — the tool
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. sharp — clever
  18. last — finally
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. last — final
  21. mate — to breed
  22. mate — a friend
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. bound — obliged

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