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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. stand — to bear
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. roll — a list
  5. drill — a practice
  6. drill — the tool
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. object — an aim
  10. object — a thing
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. pass — a permit
  13. object — to protest
  14. roll — a cake
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. bear — the animal
  17. drill — army training
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. saw — the tool
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bear — the animal
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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