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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. squash — the sport
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. row — a line
  7. suit — in cards
  8. vault — a safe
  9. row — to paddle
  10. suit — to fit
  11. pound — a weight
  12. dip — to sink
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. pop — to visit
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. squash — to crush
  18. pop — soda
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. suit — clothes
  21. pop — music
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. branch — a division

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