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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. ground — crushed
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. bore — to tire
  5. drill — army training
  6. season — of the year
  7. ground — the earth
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. wake — a trail
  11. dip — to sink
  12. board — a committee
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. drill — the tool
  17. bore — to drill
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. season — in sport
  22. ground — a position
  23. vault — a safe
  24. board — to get on

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