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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. drill — a practice
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. drill — army training
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. pit — in a race
  11. mark — a trace
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. content — the amount
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. content — happy
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. date — the fruit
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. pit — a hole
  21. mark — a grade
  22. lie — to recline
  23. vault — a safe
  24. lie — an untruth

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