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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cap — of ice
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. net — after costs
  6. bass — the fish
  7. net — for catching
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. staff — employees
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. drill — army training
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. prune — to trim
  14. staff — a stick
  15. vault — a safe
  16. drill — the tool
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. bass — low music
  20. prune — to trim
  21. net — in sport
  22. staff — employees
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. cap — a lid

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