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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. cue — for pool
  3. object — an aim
  4. game — wild animals
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. scale — size or range
  7. game — a match
  8. cue — a hint
  9. vault — a safe
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. cue — a signal
  12. object — a thing
  13. object — to protest
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. drill — a practice
  18. drill — the tool
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. deal — to handle
  22. stand — to bear
  23. scale — in music
  24. stand — on your feet

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