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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. drill — a practice
  8. fine — all right
  9. lean — thin
  10. drill — the tool
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. dip — to sink
  14. lean — to bend
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. vault — a safe
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. cue — a hint
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. cue — for pool
  22. drill — army training
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. cue — a signal

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