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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  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. present — the time now
  2. pop — soda
  3. staff — a stick
  4. swing — to play on
  5. staff — employees
  6. drill — the tool
  7. swing — music
  8. drill — a practice
  9. staff — employees
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. present — a gift
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pop — music
  14. mate — a partner
  15. fall — to drop
  16. mate — a friend
  17. fall — the season
  18. drill — army training
  19. fall — to drop
  20. present — there
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. mate — to breed
  23. swing — in golf
  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