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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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. drill — army training
  3. vault — a safe
  4. last — to go on
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. last — final
  9. drill — the tool
  10. cue — for pool
  11. spring — the season
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. last — finally
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. spring — of water
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. drill — a practice
  20. cue — a hint
  21. pitch — completely
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. cue — a signal
  24. spring — a coil

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