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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. drill — the tool
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. vault — a safe
  5. pit — in a race
  6. charge — a price
  7. pit — a hole
  8. charge — electricity
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. club — for golf
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. club — a group
  14. wound — an injury
  15. drill — a practice
  16. season — in sport
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. season — of the year
  20. wound — an injury
  21. drill — army training
  22. saw — the tool
  23. club — for dancing
  24. charge — in control

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