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

Word bank: wind · toast · vault · mouse · spell · drill · land · snap

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. land — to come down
  5. drill — the tool
  6. toast — bread
  7. vault — a safe
  8. wind — moving air
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. spell — letters
  11. wind — moving air
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. land — a country
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. spell — magic
  18. spell — a short time
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. snap — to click
  22. drill — army training
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. land — ground

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