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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. object — an aim
  3. object — a thing
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. spell — a short time
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. object — to protest
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. spell — magic
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. swing — in golf
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. dip — to sink
  16. shower — to wash
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. spell — letters
  19. vault — a safe
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. shower — rain
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. swing — to play on
  24. swing — music

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