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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're on a ________________ here.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. vault — a safe
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. chest — of your body
  8. charge — in control
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. drill — army training
  11. drill — a practice
  12. lean — to bend
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. roll — a list
  15. charge — electricity
  16. drill — the tool
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. lean — thin
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. roll — a cake
  21. charge — a price
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. chest — of your body
  24. chest — a box

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