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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. squash — the sport
  3. file — a line of people
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. net — after costs
  6. vault — a safe
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. squash — to crush
  9. file — a document
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. present — there
  12. drill — a practice
  13. drill — the tool
  14. file — a tool
  15. present — the time now
  16. drill — army training
  17. pit — a hole
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. net — for catching
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. present — a gift
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. net — in sport
  24. squash — the vegetable

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