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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 116 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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pound · chair · drill · mark · pass · fall · vault · wound

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. drill — army training
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. drill — the tool
  5. fall — the season
  6. mark — a grade
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. fall — to drop
  10. mark — a trace
  11. wound — an injury
  12. pass — a permit
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. wound — an injury
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. chair — a leader
  17. vault — a safe
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. fall — to drop
  24. pound — a weight

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