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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 120 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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. track — a song
  3. band — a ring
  4. vault — a safe
  5. track — a path
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. degree — temperature
  10. band — a music group
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. degree — from a university
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. track — to keep track
  17. saw — the tool
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. degree — an amount
  24. saw — the tool

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