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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. charge — in control
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. vault — a safe
  5. cell — a phone
  6. cell — in biology
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. drill — the tool
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. drill — a practice
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. season — of the year
  14. charge — a price
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. tear — to rip
  17. charge — electricity
  18. tear — from crying
  19. rash — a series
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. tear — from crying
  22. rash — hasty
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. season — in sport

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