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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: drill · perch · toast · dip · pound · date · vault · cabinet

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. vault — a safe
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. date — the fruit
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. toast — bread
  12. dip — to sink
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. cabinet — a cupboard
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. perch — the fish
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. drill — the tool
  21. pound — a weight
  22. drill — a practice
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. pound — to hit hard

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