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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. drill — army training
  3. cap — a hat
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. bat — the animal
  6. ground — a position
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. cap — of ice
  9. drill — a practice
  10. last — to go on
  11. last — finally
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. mate — a partner
  14. last — final
  15. ground — the earth
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. drill — the tool
  18. vault — a safe
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. ground — crushed
  21. cap — a lid
  22. mate — a friend
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. mate — to breed

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