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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. object — a thing
  3. rock — music
  4. shower — to wash
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. can — to be able to
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. drill — army training
  9. can — a tin
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. object — to protest
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. present — a gift
  15. drill — a practice
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. present — there
  19. can — a tin
  20. drill — the tool
  21. rock — a stone
  22. vault — a safe
  23. shower — rain
  24. present — the time now

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