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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 is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. scale — in music
  3. squash — to crush
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. scale — size or range
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. wound — an injury
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. track — a path
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — the fish
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bear — the animal
  18. track — to keep track
  19. squash — the sport
  20. wound — an injury
  21. vault — a safe
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. dip — to sink
  24. bear — the animal

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