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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. band — a music group
  3. ball — a dance
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. vault — a safe
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. band — a ring
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. game — wild animals
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. craft — a skill
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. craft — boats
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. game — a match
  24. ball — a great time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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