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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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. land — a country
  2. vault — a safe
  3. drill — the tool
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — a price
  9. land — to come down
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. chest — of your body
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. charge — in control
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. drill — a practice
  18. mark — a grade
  19. land — ground
  20. chest — of your body
  21. mark — a trace
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. chest — a box
  24. drill — army training

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