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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 stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. drill — the tool
  3. drill — army training
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. rush — hurry
  9. vault — a safe
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. drill — a practice
  12. cell — in biology
  13. field — a subject
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. mug — a face
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. field — farmland
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mug — a cup
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. foot — a measure
  24. cell — a phone

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