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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. rush — hurry
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. sharp — clever
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. drill — the tool
  9. cold — an illness
  10. vault — a safe
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. mug — to rob
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. mug — a cup
  18. cold — not warm
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. mug — a face
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. drill — army training
  24. rush — to hurry

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