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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 116 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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. mine — for digging
  4. track — a path
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. vault — a safe
  13. bark — to shout
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bass — the fish
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. track — to keep track
  21. bass — low music
  22. track — a song
  23. ball — a dance
  24. leaves — lets stay

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