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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. bark — to shout
  6. charge — in control
  7. stem — to come from
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. vault — a safe
  10. charge — electricity
  11. rest — what's left
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. drill — the tool
  14. sharp — clever
  15. rest — what's left
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. rest — a break
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. season — of the year
  21. drill — army training
  22. charge — a price
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. season — in sport

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