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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. vault — a safe
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. cell — in biology
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. file — a document
  8. object — an aim
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. file — a line of people
  12. drill — the tool
  13. craft — boats
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. object — a thing
  16. craft — a skill
  17. cell — a phone
  18. drill — army training
  19. object — to protest
  20. file — a tool
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. leaves — to go away

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