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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. fine — high quality
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. fine — all right
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. court — of law
  11. scale — in music
  12. court — for sport
  13. court — of a king
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. scale — size or range
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. dip — to sink
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. vault — a safe
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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