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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. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. rest — a break
  3. rest — what's left
  4. drill — the tool
  5. rest — what's left
  6. pop — music
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. vault — a safe
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. pop — soda
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. drill — army training
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. drill — a practice
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. pop — to visit
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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