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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. vault — a safe
  7. suit — clothes
  8. pound — a weight
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. suit — to fit
  13. chair — a leader
  14. rock — a stone
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. toast — bread
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. scale — in music
  21. scale — size or range
  22. suit — in cards
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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