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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. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. pop — to visit
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. pass — a permit
  5. saw — the tool
  6. drill — army training
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. vault — a safe
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. pop — soda
  14. bank — for money
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. saw — the tool
  17. content — happy
  18. drill — a practice
  19. bank — for money
  20. pop — music
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. bank — of a river
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. drill — the tool

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