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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. rule — government
  4. wax — to grow
  5. vault — a safe
  6. lie — to recline
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. drill — army training
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. fine — all right
  13. rule — a law
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. bear — the animal
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. fine — high quality
  21. drill — the tool
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. bear — the animal
  24. wax — for sculpting

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