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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. present — a gift
  3. bound — tied together
  4. present — there
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. fall — to drop
  7. fall — to drop
  8. vault — a safe
  9. fall — the season
  10. rest — a break
  11. key — in music
  12. key — the most important part
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. cue — a signal
  15. bound — certain
  16. present — the time now
  17. drill — the tool
  18. cue — for pool
  19. drill — a practice
  20. key — for a lock
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rest — what's left
  23. cue — a hint
  24. bound — obliged

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