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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: vault · rock · field · pass · drill · content · pop · foot

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. field — a subject
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. drill — army training
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. field — farmland
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. pop — music
  10. pop — to visit
  11. field — for sport
  12. drill — a practice
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pop — soda
  15. foot — a measure
  16. rock — music
  17. content — the amount
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. drill — the tool
  20. vault — a safe
  21. pass — a permit
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. content — videos and posts

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