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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  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. rest — a break
  2. club — a group
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. rest — what's left
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. club — for dancing
  8. dip — to sink
  9. club — for golf
  10. object — to protest
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. rest — what's left
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. object — an aim
  15. spring — the season
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. spring — of water
  18. perch — the fish
  19. spring — a coil
  20. vault — a safe
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. object — a thing
  23. dip — a sauce
  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