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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. The water is too ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. saw — the tool
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. saw — the tool
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. charge — electricity
  11. charge — a price
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. pop — to visit
  16. pop — music
  17. charge — in control
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. cold — an illness
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. cold — not warm
  24. pop — soda

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