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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 120 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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. drill — the tool
  3. ground — a position
  4. rule — government
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. ground — the earth
  7. hand — help
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. drill — army training
  10. hand — in cards
  11. rule — a law
  12. vault — a safe
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. drill — a practice
  16. wax — to grow
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. ground — crushed
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. bay — a horse colour

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