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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: vault · drill · cue · scale · race · key · bore · hide

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. cue — a signal
  3. race — a contest
  4. race — the arms race
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. key — in music
  7. drill — army training
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. drill — the tool
  10. race — humankind
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. drill — a practice
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. cue — for pool
  16. scale — size or range
  17. vault — a safe
  18. cue — a hint
  19. bore — to tire
  20. key — for a lock
  21. scale — in music
  22. bore — to drill
  23. key — the most important part
  24. hide — to keep secret

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