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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. mark — a grade
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. clip — to cut
  7. vault — a safe
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mine — for digging
  10. firm — a company
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. firm — decided
  13. lean — thin
  14. mark — a trace
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. clip — for paper
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. clip — a video
  22. lean — to bend
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. firm — steady

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