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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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. pop — to visit
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. spell — a short time
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. pop — music
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. pop — soda
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — letters
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. vault — a safe
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. snap — to click

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