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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. drill — army training
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. can — a tin
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. can — a tin
  7. swing — to play on
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. drill — a practice
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. saw — the tool
  14. swing — in golf
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. saw — the tool
  17. vault — a safe
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. drill — the tool
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. can — to be able to
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. rush — hurry
  24. swing — music

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