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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. pop — soda
  4. club — a group
  5. present — a gift
  6. present — there
  7. tear — from crying
  8. present — the time now
  9. wound — an injury
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. club — for dancing
  12. wound — an injury
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. pop — to visit
  16. tear — from crying
  17. vault — a safe
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. rush — hurry
  20. pop — music
  21. club — for golf
  22. pitch — completely
  23. tear — to rip
  24. rush — to hurry

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