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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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. dip — to sink
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. degree — from a university
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. degree — temperature
  8. staff — employees
  9. rest — what's left
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. rest — what's left
  14. band — a music group
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. rest — a break
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. band — a ring
  19. vault — a safe
  20. staff — employees
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. pound — a weight
  23. degree — an amount
  24. staff — a stick

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