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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 120 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: net · drill · mark · lean · bore · ball · vault · tube

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. drill — a practice
  3. net — after costs
  4. mark — a trace
  5. lean — thin
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. bore — to drill
  8. vault — a safe
  9. drill — army training
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. net — in sport
  12. tube — a container
  13. bore — to tire
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. net — for catching
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. tube — the underground
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a dance
  22. mark — a grade
  23. lean — to bend
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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