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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. charge — a price
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. spell — magic
  5. spell — letters
  6. prune — to trim
  7. prune — to trim
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. drill — the tool
  13. pit — a hole
  14. pit — in a race
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. charge — electricity
  19. spell — a short time
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. charge — in control
  22. drill — a practice
  23. can — a tin
  24. vault — a safe

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