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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. last — to go on
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. vault — a safe
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. foot — a measure
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. scale — size or range
  11. rash — hasty
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. last — finally
  16. swing — in golf
  17. swing — music
  18. fork — in a road
  19. scale — in music
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. last — final
  24. rash — a series

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