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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. drill — army training
  4. scale — in music
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. roll — a list
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. vault — a safe
  10. wound — an injury
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. scale — size or range
  13. drill — a practice
  14. rock — a stone
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. rock — music
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. wound — an injury
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. mine — for digging
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. roll — a cake

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