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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: mate · toast · lean · chest · vault · spell · suit · drill

  1. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. drill — the tool
  3. suit — clothes
  4. spell — letters
  5. toast — bread
  6. drill — army training
  7. chest — of your body
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. vault — a safe
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mate — a friend
  12. spell — a short time
  13. spell — magic
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. chest — a box
  16. suit — in cards
  17. mate — a partner
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. suit — to fit
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. lean — to bend
  23. lean — thin
  24. chest — of your body

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