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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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. firm — steady
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. rule — a law
  5. wound — an injury
  6. land — to come down
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. squash — the sport
  10. bank — for money
  11. firm — decided
  12. mug — a cup
  13. wound — an injury
  14. mug — to rob
  15. land — a country
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. rule — government
  18. land — ground
  19. vault — a safe
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bank — for money
  22. firm — a company
  23. mug — a face
  24. squash — to crush

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