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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. drill — the tool
  3. drill — army training
  4. land — to come down
  5. lean — thin
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. rash — hasty
  8. vault — a safe
  9. land — a country
  10. key — for a lock
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. lean — to bend
  15. key — the most important part
  16. drill — a practice
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. wake — a trail
  21. key — in music
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. land — ground
  24. calf — a young animal

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