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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. land — ground
  3. cap — of ice
  4. mate — a friend
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. land — to come down
  8. mate — a partner
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. land — a country
  11. mate — to breed
  12. charge — electricity
  13. sharp — clever
  14. vault — a safe
  15. cap — a lid
  16. rock — a stone
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. charge — in control
  20. charge — a price
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. cap — a hat
  23. rock — music
  24. sharp — exactly

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