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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. firm — a company
  3. band — a music group
  4. rock — a stone
  5. firm — decided
  6. last — to go on
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. last — finally
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. rock — music
  12. ball — a dance
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. ball — a great time
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. firm — steady
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. band — a ring
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. sharp — clever
  24. last — final

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