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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 116 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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. mark — a trace
  5. vault — a safe
  6. pass — a permit
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — to eat
  10. drill — the tool
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. last — to go on
  13. last — final
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. drill — army training
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. drill — a practice
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. mark — a grade

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