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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're almost out of ________________.
  2. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. key — in music
  4. drill — the tool
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. firm — steady
  8. pop — music
  9. drill — army training
  10. firm — a company
  11. key — the most important part
  12. pop — to visit
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. drill — a practice
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. race — a contest
  17. race — humankind
  18. firm — decided
  19. bear — the animal
  20. vault — a safe
  21. race — the arms race
  22. key — for a lock
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. bear — the animal

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