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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 120 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'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. saw — the tool
  3. wake — a trail
  4. cue — for pool
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. root — the cause
  8. track — a song
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. cue — a signal
  11. drill — army training
  12. track — to keep track
  13. drill — the tool
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. drill — a practice
  17. track — a path
  18. saw — the tool
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. vault — a safe
  22. root — of a word
  23. root — of a plant
  24. wake — before a funeral

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