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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. drill — the tool
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. vault — a safe
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. mark — a grade
  13. drill — army training
  14. wound — an injury
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. craft — boats
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. wound — an injury
  19. drill — a practice
  20. mark — a trace
  21. craft — a skill
  22. pass — a permit
  23. perch — the fish
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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