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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. march — music
  3. object — an aim
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. spring — of water
  7. mug — to rob
  8. mug — a cup
  9. pop — soda
  10. spring — the season
  11. march — the month
  12. object — to protest
  13. object — a thing
  14. pop — music
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. spring — a coil
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. march — the month
  22. mug — a face
  23. vault — a safe
  24. cabinet — ministers

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