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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 soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. club — for golf
  3. mate — to breed
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. club — for dancing
  7. current — electric
  8. drill — a practice
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. current — happening now
  11. press — newspapers
  12. mate — a friend
  13. press — to push
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wind — moving air
  17. club — a group
  18. press — a publisher
  19. drill — the tool
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. vault — a safe
  22. mate — a partner
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. current — of water

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