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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. row — to paddle
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. row — a line
  5. object — a thing
  6. drill — army training
  7. drill — a practice
  8. wake — a trail
  9. face — to point toward
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. face — to confront
  12. object — to protest
  13. vault — a safe
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. season — of the year
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. face — part of the head
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. season — in sport
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. object — an aim
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. plane — a tool

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