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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. vault — a safe
  3. staff — employees
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. date — the fruit
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. scale — size or range
  11. firm — decided
  12. roll — a cake
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. firm — a company
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. staff — a stick
  18. firm — steady
  19. roll — a list
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. bark — to shout
  24. scale — in music

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