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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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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  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. bear — the animal
  2. rock — music
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. mark — a trace
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. track — a path
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. rock — a stone
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. mark — a grade
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. vault — a safe
  15. track — a song
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. track — to keep track
  18. hand — in cards
  19. pass — a permit
  20. hand — help
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. foot — a measure
  23. bear — the animal
  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