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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 120 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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. spell — a short time
  4. clip — to cut
  5. staff — a stick
  6. bear — the animal
  7. staff — employees
  8. rock — a stone
  9. rock — music
  10. spell — letters
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. clip — a video
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. club — for dancing
  15. club — for golf
  16. vault — a safe
  17. staff — employees
  18. bear — the animal
  19. spell — magic
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. mug — a face
  22. mug — to rob
  23. mug — a cup
  24. clip — for paper

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