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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 124 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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. rest — what's left
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. rest — what's left
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. vault — a safe
  10. object — a thing
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. date — the fruit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. object — an aim
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. rest — a break
  22. object — to protest
  23. toast — bread
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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