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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. face — to confront
  3. shower — rain
  4. ground — a position
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. drill — the tool
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. face — to point toward
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. face — part of the head
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. ground — crushed
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. drill — army training
  17. ground — the earth
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. shower — to wash
  20. vault — a safe
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mouse — the animal

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