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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: pit · cell · deal · fork · vault · drill · present · chip

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. He was locked up in a ________________.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. present — a gift
  4. chip — to eat
  5. deal — to handle
  6. drill — a practice
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. pit — in a race
  9. cell — in biology
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. present — there
  13. cell — in a prison
  14. cell — a phone
  15. present — the time now
  16. vault — a safe
  17. chip — for betting
  18. fork — in a road
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. drill — the tool
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. deal — an agreement

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