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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: cap · bound · can · lean · rash · drill · staff · vault

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. can — a tin
  4. bound — tied together
  5. drill — a practice
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. staff — employees
  9. lean — thin
  10. rash — hasty
  11. bound — obliged
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. staff — employees
  14. cap — of ice
  15. staff — a stick
  16. vault — a safe
  17. rash — a series
  18. lean — to bend
  19. can — to be able to
  20. cap — a lid
  21. drill — army training
  22. cap — a hat
  23. bound — certain
  24. can — a tin

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