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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. drill — army training
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. game — wild animals
  11. season — of the year
  12. game — a match
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — music
  17. season — in sport
  18. drill — a practice
  19. rock — a stone
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. drill — the tool
  22. vault — a safe
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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