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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. firm — steady
  5. vault — a safe
  6. charge — a price
  7. firm — a company
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. ball — a great time
  12. foot — a measure
  13. charge — electricity
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. mark — a grade
  16. ball — a dance
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. firm — decided
  19. charge — in control
  20. mark — a trace
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. foot — the bottom

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