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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. press — newspapers
  3. drill — the tool
  4. fork — in a road
  5. drill — army training
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. march — music
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. rush — hurry
  12. wound — an injury
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. march — the month
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wind — moving air
  18. press — a publisher
  19. drill — a practice
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. march — the month
  23. press — to push
  24. vault — a safe

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