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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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. drill — army training
  3. mug — to rob
  4. drill — a practice
  5. mug — a face
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. dip — to sink
  9. staff — employees
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. bear — the animal
  12. staff — a stick
  13. bear — the animal
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. vault — a safe
  17. drill — the tool
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. deal — to handle
  21. mug — a cup
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. staff — employees
  24. patient — a sick person

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