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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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Word bank
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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: deal · bass · saw · mug · cell · mouse · vault · drill

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  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. deal — an agreement
  2. drill — the tool
  3. vault — a safe
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bass — the fish
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. mug — to rob
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. cell — in biology
  11. deal — to handle
  12. mug — a face
  13. cell — a phone
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. drill — a practice
  19. mug — a cup
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. bass — low music
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  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