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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. row — to paddle
  3. fine — high quality
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. drill — army training
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. drill — a practice
  8. kid — to tease
  9. vault — a safe
  10. row — a line
  11. club — for dancing
  12. root — the cause
  13. club — for golf
  14. drill — the tool
  15. staff — a stick
  16. fine — all right
  17. staff — employees
  18. kid — child
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. root — of a word
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. root — of a plant
  24. staff — employees

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