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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. drill — army training
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. tube — a container
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. ground — crushed
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. file — a line of people
  9. drill — a practice
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. rule — government
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. file — a tool
  15. ground — a position
  16. vault — a safe
  17. rule — a law
  18. lie — to recline
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. file — a document
  21. ground — the earth
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. tube — the underground
  24. arm — a part of something

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