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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bass — the fish
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. sharp — clever
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. ball — a dance
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. stem — to come from
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. bass — low music
  14. mug — a face
  15. face — to confront
  16. face — part of the head
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. face — to point toward
  21. branch — a division
  22. mug — a cup
  23. vault — a safe
  24. mug — to rob

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