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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. rock — music
  3. fine — all right
  4. vault — a safe
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. present — a gift
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. present — there
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. rock — a stone
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. fine — high quality
  18. present — the time now

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