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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. mine — for digging
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. vault — a safe
  7. hand — in cards
  8. toast — bread
  9. mug — to rob
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. foot — a measure
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. hand — help
  16. mug — a face
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. toast — the most admired

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