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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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. wake — a trail
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. vault — a safe
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. spring — the season
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. spring — a coil
  9. foot — a measure
  10. firm — steady
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. lean — to bend
  16. firm — a company
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. spring — of water
  19. lean — thin
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. firm — decided
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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