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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bore — to drill
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cue — for pool
  5. bound — tied together
  6. cue — a hint
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. wind — moving air
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. bound — obliged
  11. cue — a signal
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. last — final
  14. bound — certain
  15. foot — a measure
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. last — to go on
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. last — finally
  22. bore — to tire
  23. vault — a safe
  24. wind — moving air

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