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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. foot — a measure
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. firm — a company
  5. hand — in cards
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. prune — to trim
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. kick — in football
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. firm — steady
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. pitch — completely
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. hand — help
  22. firm — decided
  23. prune — to trim
  24. vault — a safe

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