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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. vault — a safe
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. track — a path
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — a permit
  8. craft — a skill
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. craft — boats
  13. firm — a company
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. track — to keep track
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a great time
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. firm — decided
  20. track — a song
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. dip — to sink
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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