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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. rule — government
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. pop — to visit
  6. pop — music
  7. deal — to handle
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. rule — a law
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. drill — a practice
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. drill — the tool
  19. stand — to bear
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. vault — a safe
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. drill — army training

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