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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. band — a ring
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. current — electric
  5. firm — steady
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. current — happening now
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. firm — a company
  11. firm — decided
  12. prune — to trim
  13. date — the fruit
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. band — a music group
  16. prune — to trim
  17. vault — a safe
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. current — of water
  20. roll — a list
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. roll — a cake
  24. prune — the fruit

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