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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. can — a tin
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bound — obliged
  7. band — a ring
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. can — a tin
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. spring — a coil
  13. drill — the tool
  14. band — a music group
  15. spring — the season
  16. spring — of water
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. vault — a safe
  19. bound — certain
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bound — tied together
  22. can — to be able to
  23. ball — a dance
  24. drill — army training

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