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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. wax — in the ear
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. drill — a practice
  8. rest — what's left
  9. cap — a lid
  10. vault — a safe
  11. pass — a permit
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. cap — a hat
  14. rest — what's left
  15. drill — army training
  16. row — a line
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — to trim
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. rest — a break
  21. wax — to grow
  22. cap — of ice
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. row — a quarrel

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