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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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. pound — a weight
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. roll — a cake
  14. vault — a safe
  15. wound — an injury
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bulb — for light
  21. roll — a list
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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