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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. drill — a practice
  4. rest — what's left
  5. face — to confront
  6. rest — a break
  7. drill — the tool
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. vault — a safe
  10. drill — army training
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. rush — hurry
  14. face — part of the head
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. face — to point toward
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. rest — what's left
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. fan — a supporter

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