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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — from crying
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. drill — the tool
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. board — to get on
  6. vault — a safe
  7. drill — army training
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. tear — to rip
  11. fine — all right
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pop — soda
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. tear — from crying
  16. drill — a practice
  17. prune — to trim
  18. fine — high quality
  19. prune — to trim
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. pop — to visit
  22. board — a committee
  23. pop — music
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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