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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. staff — employees
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — a stick
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. dip — to sink
  7. drill — army training
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. drill — a practice
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. vault — a safe
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — high quality
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. chair — a leader
  21. cell — a phone
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. drill — the tool

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