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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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. file — a tool
  3. drill — army training
  4. drill — the tool
  5. file — a line of people
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. kid — to tease
  10. saw — the tool
  11. lie — to recline
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. vault — a safe
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. file — a document
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. drill — a practice
  22. saw — the tool
  23. kid — child
  24. lie — an untruth

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