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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  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. drill — a practice
  2. drill — army training
  3. board — to get on
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. kick — in football
  9. ground — a position
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. bass — the fish
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. board — a committee
  17. ground — the earth
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — low music
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. ground — crushed
  22. fork — in a road
  23. vault — a safe
  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