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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 need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. season — of the year
  3. vault — a safe
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. can — a tin
  6. wake — a trail
  7. mug — a face
  8. rule — a law
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. drill — a practice
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. mug — to rob
  16. pop — soda
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. drill — army training
  20. season — in sport
  21. pop — music
  22. mug — a cup
  23. rule — government
  24. pop — to visit

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