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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 116 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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. club — for golf
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. stand — to bear
  5. present — a gift
  6. club — a group
  7. bass — the fish
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. prune — to trim
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. prune — to trim
  12. vault — a safe
  13. present — there
  14. club — for dancing
  15. bass — low music
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. present — the time now
  18. stand — for spectators

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