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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. roll — a cake
  3. fall — to drop
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. last — final
  6. vault — a safe
  7. last — finally
  8. drill — army training
  9. mug — a face
  10. drill — a practice
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. last — to go on
  14. toast — bread
  15. drill — the tool
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. fall — to drop
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. mug — a cup
  21. roll — a list
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. mug — to rob

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