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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. cue — a signal
  5. face — part of the head
  6. rule — government
  7. rule — a law
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. court — of law
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. face — to point toward
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. cue — a hint
  15. court — of a king
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. drill — a practice
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. vault — a safe
  20. cue — for pool
  21. face — to confront
  22. drill — army training
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. court — for 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