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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. rule — a law
  4. press — to push
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. can — a tin
  8. drill — a practice
  9. shower — rain
  10. can — to be able to
  11. drill — the tool
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. press — a publisher
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. rule — government
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. can — a tin
  19. press — newspapers
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. vault — a safe
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. perch — the fish
  24. shower — to wash

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