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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. wound — an injury
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bank — of a river
  7. date — the fruit
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rock — music
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. rock — a stone
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. saw — the tool
  16. wound — an injury
  17. vault — a safe
  18. prune — to trim
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. saw — the tool
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — for money

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