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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 116 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. vault — a safe
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. last — to go on
  9. drill — the tool
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rash — hasty
  12. pitch — completely
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. last — finally
  15. cell — in biology
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. rash — a series
  18. last — final
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. drill — a practice
  21. drill — army training
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. cell — a phone
  24. coach — a trainer

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