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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. prune — to trim
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. object — a thing
  8. prune — to trim
  9. shower — to wash
  10. rock — a stone
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. stand — to bear
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. object — to protest
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. object — an aim
  21. rock — music
  22. bat — the animal
  23. shower — rain
  24. stand — on your feet

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